A New Home
by Anya Maygo
Summary: An Eevee-hybrid is separated from his friends and his responsibility, and he stops at nothing, not language barriers or a strange world, to find them all and bring them together again. After all, they're his only family now. R&R! Part 1 of 3.
1. It Barely Began

It Barely Began...

* * *

It only happened once every year. One shuttle would leave Hyrikan with as many young souls as wanted to escape the large and ever-growing population of the hybrid solar system. It was a one-way trip, so they had to truly decide if they wanted to leave.

This year, only thirteen wanted to leave. Each walked up to the sign-up sheet and wrote their names, species, and ages:

_Cor Eevee, age 10._

_Safara Vulpix, age 5._

_Byrony Spinarak, age 10._

_Deseronto Pichu, age 8._

_Kerra Sneasel, age 13._

_Sylvan Cacnea, age 12._

_Gryphon Bagon, age 15._

_Glaucia Mawile, age 14._

_Reva Ralts, age 11._

_Hugh Drifloon, age 13._

_Shui Buizel, age 13._

_Acoose Hippopotas, age 10._

_Gabryle Riolu, age 12._

As they lined up to board the shuttle, each with their bags of belongings over their shoulders, a Ninetales-hybrid walked over to them. "Safara?"

She looked up, her eyes wide.

"Please be careful out there, and don't leave the others."

Cor put his arm over the little Vulpix's shoulders. "Don't worry, Ma'am: I'll look after her." He set his hand first over his forehead crest, and then over his heart-crest. This was a traditional hybrid gesture that gave full weight to his next words: "I promise."

They filed on board, with an Alakazam giving last instructions to Gryphon, the oldest and therefore the only one old enough to pilot the shuttle.

* * *

They took off, with plans never to return. They flew for hours, and those in the back entertained themselves with all the games they could think of.

Then, just a little ways away from their choice planet, Gryphon cut it a little too close to an asteroid and they spiraled out of control, with a small hole forming in the hull! Upon entering the atmosphere, the hole started getting bigger!

"Hey, Pichu!" Gryphon yelled. "I need you to punch some electricity through the controls! We need to get further into the atmosphere or we'll die!"

Deseronto grabbed at a control panel on the wall and blasted a Thundershock into it as hard as he could.

Their spin got faster, even further out of control, and further into the atmosphere.

The hole stretched into a wide crack, and every kid in the shuttle got pulled out by the sheer force of wind!

"Cor!" Safara screamed.

"Safara!"

The sheer speed of their spin sent them scattering in different directions, and far away from each other. Each of them crashed, and remembered nothing more.


	2. On a Mission

On a Mission

* * *

Cor

I woke up with the biggest headache of my life. I was in a tree, pretty high off the ground, and my friends were nowhere to be seen.

_Did the ship spin around so much that we didn't even land in the same country? We were pretty high up…_

I carefully looked around. All I could see were trees. My arms and legs were stiff, and I couldn't feel my tail. Glancing behind me, I saw why: my tail had gotten wedged into the fork of another branch and was stuck, with no circulation going to it. Carefully, I twisted around and worked my tail free.

Of course, that made me fall out of the tree.

Rather than risk getting hurt even more, I shifted to my Pokemon form, which could take the landing a little better.

I landed on top of a Rattata.

"**Watch it!**" it snapped.

"**Sorry. I'm new here, and I took a pretty hard hit earlier.**"

"**Oh yeah? Well, you'd better be on the lookout for trainers. You'd be easy prey for them right now.**"

_Trainers? _"**What do they look like?**"

It stared at me for a minute. "**You're **_**really**_** new here, aren't you? Trainers are humans who catch Pokemon and send them into battle against other Pokemon.**"

"**From what **_**I've**_** seen,**" a Weedle spoke up from a plant, "**some are nice, and some aren't.**"

"**Oh. I see. Thanks for the warning.**" And then I wobbled off to find some food. Our packs had been flung away as well.

* * *

Ash

Brock, Misty and I were on our way back to Pallet Town when suddenly, Pikachu noticed something off the path and ran to check it out.

When we followed Pikachu, we saw him talking to an Eevee!

"Oh, how cute!" Misty squealed.

"It looks like it's injured," Brock noticed.

It was: some fur had been scuffed off one ear, and it was limping and dragging its tail.

"Come here, Eevee," I said, carefully reaching for it.

It backed away, snarling.

"_Pika pika,_" Pikachu said to it, and it stopped snarling. It still looked tense, though, so I was still careful when I picked it up.

"I wonder where it came from," Misty asked nobody as Brock tended to its injuries.

"Well, it's ours now," I bragged.

"Don't be too sure," Brock stopped me. "Look at it: it's not acting like it understands any of us except Pikachu. I don't think it understands English at all."

"Huh." I studied it carefully. Then I looked at Pikachu. "Hey, Pikachu, could you ask it where it came from?"

"_Chu._" He hopped over to the Eevee and started talking. Then it talked back.

I think I've only seen Pikachu look that confused once – back when we were talking to a panicked Wartortle.

"Well? What'd he say?" Misty asked.

Pikachu ran around in circles for a little bit, making a high-pitched motor type sound.

"He fell out of a car?" I guessed.

He shook his head and waved his paws in the air.

"A plane?"

He shook his head again. Then he drew a picture in the ground: stars and a round thing.

"A spaceship?"

"_Chu!_"

"That's silly," Misty snubbed him, "UFOs and aliens don't exist!"

Pikachu looked at the Eevee again and said something.

The Eevee covered its head with its paws, looking kind of like Psyduck. Then it said something that didn't sound like its name…and didn't sound like English, either.

"_Pi?_"

"Um…what was that?" Brock asked.

"Maybe he's from outer space after all," I said.

* * *

Pikachu

I looked at the Eevee. "**If you're from outer space,**" I asked, "**then do you have a name besides what you are?**"

"**Yeah. It's Cor.**"

"**And this whole time, you've been saying 'we' when talking about your ship…there were more of you?**"

"**Yeah…counting me, thirteen.**" Then his ears slumped. "**One was a young Vulpix I was supposed to look out for. I **_**promised**_** her mother I'd watch out for her! But the ship spun around a few times in the air and we all got separated. I've got to find her.**"

"What's he saying?" Ash asked.

I mimed the ship again. Then I pointed at Cor and held up both my hands and one foot.

"Uh…"

Brock guessed. "There were more on his ship?"

"**Yes.**" Then I ran over to Brock and released Vulpix.

"And one was a Vulpix?"

"**Yes.**" I did some quick introductions between Vulpix and Cor. Then I went back to trying to sign-inform my friends. I pointed at Togepi, and then at Vulpix again.

"It…oh!" Misty guessed. "It was a baby Vulpix?"

"**Uh…**" I looked at Cor again. "**Baby?**"

"**No...about five years old.**"

I held up a hand with all my fingers up.

"Oh, so it was a little boy Vulpix."

I shook my head and pointed at her.

"A girl?"

"**Yes.**"

Cor's ears slumped again.

Brock suddenly made a really accurate guess. "I'm guessing that this little Vulpix was the Eevee's responsibility, and now that she's gone, he feels guilty. Right, Pikachu?"

"**Yes!**" I nodded so hard my ears flapped.

"Well," Ash stood up, "we're going to be traveling a lot. I guess he can come with us to try to find his friends." He pulled out a Poke ball.

Cor stepped back a couple paces. "**What's going on?**"

"**Ash wants to put you in a Poke ball. It's what Pokemon are carried around in by human trainers.**"

He thought about that. "**I don't want to be tied to a human.**"

I nodded. "**Okay, but you've got to keep up somehow.**"

He bounded up onto Brock's shoulder.

Ash asked me, "No Poke balls?"

I leaped onto his shoulder. "**No Poke balls.**"

"Okay, then, let's go to Pallet Town and find out where the Pokemon League is!"


	3. Mewtwo Strikes Back

Mewtwo Strikes Back

**A/N: I'll probably occasionally include the movies, partially because in this case, it explains how Cor learns English; he needs to learn, and this is the perfect opportunity.**

* * *

Cor

While we had stopped on our journey, I sat on a table watching Ash battle some other guy. So I couldn't understand a word of it, but Ash was winning.

Scratch that: he won. Afterwards, we all had lunch. Midway through, though, a Dragonite barged in and gave something to Ash.

Not understanding the human language really limited my knowledge of what in the world was going on. Whatever it was, though, Ash and the others decided to go along with it.

* * *

THAT NIGHT

A terrible storm broke out, and we barely made it to a dock. But no boats were going anywhere.

Practically everybody was going across the water with their Pokemon. We got a boat and started across to an island. But then the boat overturned!

I barely managed to stay with Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, Squirtle and Staryu all throughout, and only because I was clinging to Pikachu's tail.

Finally, we made it to still waters and the island we'd been searching for.

A creepy woman led us off deeper into the island.

I rode uneasily on Brock's pack. _What are we getting ourselves into?_

* * *

Only three other humans had made it. All the humans released their Pokemon and were introduced to us. Then the lights dimmed.

Down into our level came the strangest creature ever. It was named as Mewtwo, and it threw one of the trainers into the pond. Then it proved it was stronger than a Gyarados and released its human puppet – Nurse Joy!

I could understand every word Mewtwo was saying, and so could the humans!

"**_You humans are a dangerous species._**"

Half of what he said barely made sense. I wondered if he had any opinion of hybrids. I charged at him, not really trying to attack, just to get him to attack me and give me understanding of human language. Psychic attacks can grant a hybrid an imperfect knowledge of the language they're familiar with - in this case, the human language - and the knowledge is complete if said Pokemon using the attacks is a psychic type itself.

He did blast me backwards into Misty, but now I knew English. "**Thanks**," I yelped, "**You just did me a favor.**"

Mewtwo didn't answer me. Instead, he called out three Pokemon: a Venusaur, a Blastoise, and a Charizard, all to fight the trainers.

Oh yeah: did I need to say I was nervous?

* * *

The real Venusaur was defeated!

Then the real _Blastoise_ was defeated!

Ash had a sound strategy: "Charizard, use your speed, not your power, and you'll win!" Too bad it didn't work.

"**_As the victor, I now claim my prize: your Pokemon!_**"

Black Poke balls started swarming all over the place and capturing all the Pokemon! I was running as quickly as I could to avoid them – of course I didn't _want_ to be cloned! But I can only run so fast for so long, so eventually I was caught! I idly wondered, right as it happened, what their reactions would be to an Eevee-hybrid.

* * *

I don't know what was going on outside the ball.

Then all of a sudden, I was let out! I ran over to Ash. "Ash!"

"Um…did you just talk?"

"Yeah – when Mewtwo attacked me back there, I gained the English language. I'm a hybrid, named Cor."

Ash led out the originals, including me. Team Rocket asked, "So is that what that weird thing was in one of the tubes?"

"Weird thing? Yeah, I suppose a hybrid's true form would look a little weird to someone who isn't used to it. But yeah, that was Cor-Two. Fortunately, he's not very powerful, because _I'm_ not very powerful. I'm not sure what his grasp of language is, though."

* * *

When we got out, the Pokemon got ready to battle.

Including my nemesis.

I took one look at him and yelped, shifting back to my true form so fast I felt dizzy, "Hey, I'm not fighting you!" Then I pulled off my uniform's long-sleeved shirt and added, "Not while you're wearing nothing, anyway! That's the biggest hybrid nudity taboo: if it's not covered by fur, it's got to be covered by _something_!"

Well, I'll give my clone credit, he stood there and let me tear my shirt somewhat and tie it onto him as a loincloth. "Just don't shift into an Eevee while you're wearing that," I cautioned him, "it's not tight enough for it to go with you, and you'll have to tie it on again."

Once I was done, he grabbed my ear and threw me.

I just lay there and played dead. I really didn't want to fight him.

He ran over to me and jumped on me.

"Oof! Can you talk at all?"

I knew the biggest difference between him and I was that he didn't have a crest wired into him. The only other big difference that I could see was that he had gray stripes streaking across every patch of brown fur he had.

"I can speak English," he suddenly answered me, kicking me in the side with his paw. "My master made sure of that. Is that what I have to say to get you to fight?"

"Master? Since when do _hybrids_ have _masters_?"

"Since I was created, you idiot!"

"Idiot yourself! Do you even know your own name?"

He hesitated. "Um…Eevee-Two?"

"That's your species. You've got the basic idea, but you're supposed to tack 'Two' onto the end of my _name_. And my _name's_ Cor."

He thought about that. "So I'm _Cor_-Two."

"Right. And…I don't think of you so much as a clone…as a brother. Lord knows I've had lots of those; that's why I left my – our – home planet."

Then, right when neither of us was paying attention, Ash got caught in crossfire between Mewtwo and Mew!

* * *

I'm…not entirely clear on what happened next, but the tears of the Pokemon revived him.

Then Mewtwo decided to leave. He took all the clones with him, too.

Including Cor-Two, who waved back at me and called cheekily, "Thanks for the outfit!"

_Am _I _always like that?_

Then I felt a power-charge and…

* * *

…I'M NOT SURE HOW TO DESCRIBE THIS; LATER? EARLIER? DID MEWTWO TURN BACK TIME?

A raging storm outside the docks, just starting to dissipate, and Ash thought he saw a rare Pokemon flying across the sky.

"He's imagining it," Misty remarked.

"Maybe he's not," Brock retorted.

_How am I understanding this?_ I felt carefully against my chest with a paw. _And where's my shirt?_

**A/N: Am I the only one who thinks the missing shirt thing is cute? ^_^**


	4. Special Chapter: Speed details

Speed-details

* * *

This is a fast mini-chapter just to explain the most extreme basics about hybrids the way I write about them. Probably the items most in need of explanation are:

The clothing factor, and

The XP/age factor.

The way the clothing works is that if it's skin-tight on a hybrid, then shifting into a Pokemon will have it merge into their skin. (That's what it is with a Pokemon like, say…Croagunk or Poliwag.) For a Pokemon with fur, feathers, or scales, then that's what covers the clothes, pushing through the fabric and completely hiding it. For a Pokemon like Gardevoir or Hitmonchan, the clothing factor is more complicated. It does go with them…but there's more option of them dressing like their base Pokemon, and the colors of their hybrid outfits go into their Pokemon appearance.

Experience as opposed to age on a hybrid is pretty simple. Cor is ten years old; therefore, he only knows four attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Helping Hand, and Sand-attack. The only way for hybrids to level up is to wait for their birthday. Sometimes it's hard for them to keep track if they don't have a calendar nearby that they're familiar with, so Cor won't know when his birthday will be. And he won't be able to figure out when it is until the next "level" birthday where he learns an attack. (And yes, hybrids evolve at certain ages if their Pokemon evolves at a certain level; Caterpie evolves at level seven, Caterpie-hybrids evolve when they're seven years old.)


	5. To the Orange Islands

To the Orange Islands

* * *

Cor

I was sitting on Misty's shoulder, listening to Brock drooling over a mental image of pretty girls. Now that their special "Indigo League" was over, the humans had been asked to get a special ball from some professor on an island. I was going along purely because I still needed to find Safara, along with all my other friends.

We won a blimp ride to Valencia Island. I still couldn't believe that sudden spurt of luck.

_Although…_

"Guys?" I asked from Brock's shoulder as we walked. "What's a blimp?"

I'm glad I'd told them my name and made a habit of talking randomly so that they didn't forget I wasn't a Pokemon. Now, they accepted my speech as well as they've accepted the speech of that Meowth.

"A blimp," Brock answered me, "is a special way of travel." Before he said anything else, though, we could see it!

It looked, to me, like a cross between a Drifblim and a Wailord.

Both very old.

Something smelled odd about our flight attendants. No…not odd…_familiar._

* * *

That blimp was even older on the inside, and all of a sudden, I wasn't hungry.

And then the thing started tilting back and forth! I leaped up and grabbed the broken light fixture. "I'm staying right here!"

Finally, the thing stabilized. I fell onto Brock's head in relief.

And…Togepi had disappeared.

We looked everywhere for him. We ended up finding a white-covered something that the humans and Pikachu thought was a ghost and ran from. I thought it smelled like a Jigglypuff.

Team Rocket came over to us and started saying their stupid motto.

By now, I'd figured out what was going on.

* * *

Well, we found Togepi and lost Team Rocket.

All that was left in our checklist was getting to Valencia Island alive.

I'd shifted to my hybrid form an hour ago. Everyone released their Pokemon and we started running around, making the blimp shift in weight so we could land safely.

And by some miracle, we landed on Valencia Island!

"Hey guys, are you okay?" Ash asked.

"Never better!"

* * *

Ash

I looked over my shoulder, carefully so as not to make Pikachu fall. I was lying practically right on top of Cor.

And he was in his true form.

"Uh…Cor? Don't you think you should turn into an Eevee again?"

"No." He pushed me off. "True, I don't think humans are quite ready to see a hybrid yet, but I'm going to turn into a human."

"Why?"

"Because eventually, I'm going to find Safara and the rest of my friends. Having a bunch of Pokemon running loose around your team isn't going to be the easiest thing for you security-wise, but if I was my friends' 'trainer'…"

"That's a great idea!"

We got out of the blimp and Cor shifted into a human.

* * *

Brock

Seeing Cor as a human, I saw a problem: he was wearing skin-tight pants that were slightly too short and no shirt or shoes. "First chance we get, we should get you some clothes. Thanks to all that fur you've had, you're going to fry out here!"

He looked down at his chest. "I used to have a shirt. I left Hyrikan with a shirt, and I met up with you guys in it. I still don't know what happened to it."

* * *

Cor

We finally found Ivy's lab and got the "GS Ball." Then Brock decided to stay with Ivy.

(She hadn't seen Safara, either.)

Team Rocket gave us another "lift," and we crashed again, this time on Tangelo Island according to a sign. (How _could_ I read English, anyway?)

While there, we found some kid named Tracey Sketchit, who adopted us, and a Lapras, who Ash adopted.

"Hey, uh, Tracey?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I see your sketchbook?" I wanted to know if he'd found Safara by some fluke.

Flipping through, I saw no pictures that looked like Safara. My heart sank.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing." I wasn't ready to tell him.

* * *

Why was I worried? Ash told him.

Then, after I got some new clothes bought, I suddenly spotted something bright in a tidepool.

Splashing over, I saw that it was a bag – no, three bags – that belonged to my friends! None of them were mine, but one of them was Safara's – it had a star on it!

I opened each one with Ash and the others. "This bag was Safara's! I remember this Jynx-doll!" I had to open the other two just to see who they belonged to. "I think these belong to...Hugh and Deseronto."

"Who names their kid Deseronto, anyway?" Misty asked nobody.

* * *

**A/N: If this is based on anything, it's episodes 2 through 4.**


	6. Searches Over: Safara!

Searches Over: Safara!

* * *

Cor

Ash defeated the first gym leader in the Orange Islands with quite a bit of effort (still no sign of Safara), then we made it to Mandarin Island.

Almost as soon as we got there, though, Pikachu and Togepi started acting very strange: very mean! Then they disappeared!

And then I felt it, too: a strong psychic urge, telling me to attack humans and follow it! Because I wasn't strictly a Pokemon, it didn't…quite…work on me.

I _did_ lose control of my shape, though.

Officer Jenny and Ash called Professor Oak and told him what we thought was going on. Officer Jenny said she'd use a Gastly to try to track down whatever was happening.

After we hung up, Tracey looked at me. "Hey, Cor, I've never seen you like this. Are you okay?"

My ears were twitching badly; it's no wonder he asked. "It's…not comfortable. You're right, Jenny: it is a psychic Pokemon, at least. It's only…partially working on me, because I'm a hybrid. I could lead you to the building this is coming from."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ash yelled. "Let's go!"

"I just hope," I added as I turned around stiffly, "that Safara isn't suffering under this!"

* * *

Team Rocket told us what was going on, and helped us get into the base.

That was when I noticed something definitely wrong.

No, not with the Pokemon…with me. Being submitted to the psychic waves was one thing; being in the base with the Drowzee was quite another.

So Cassidy and Butch were hesitant over me, but when they saw how I was reacting they started getting even more smug. "Well, you fuzzy thing, how about you strike the first blow?"

I was slowly lowering onto all fours while she was talking, my ears going back.

Then Ash started playing tag with Pikachu.

I wasn't moving from my position on the floor, but that was all I could do.

_I'm sorry, guys: I just can't move! My willpower's keeping me from submitting to their will, but I am still partially a Pokemon!_

Forget _move_: I couldn't even _speak_! All that was coming out of my mouth were growls!

Then Ash got Pikachu to blast the machine, which zapped the Drowzee and freed all of them!

Leaving me with a terrible headache, but I could move again.

We got all the Pokemon out, and then a battle was about to start between Drowzee and everyone!

While their attention was on the Pokemon, Togepi used Metronome, destroyed the tower and knocked out Drowzee!

Ash was made an honorary citizen, and we set out again. (Officer Jenny hadn't seen Safara on Mandarin Island either, and I'd returned to my human form.)

* * *

Lapras picked up a bottled message and it spoke of a crystal Onix. Our next stop was Sunburst Island.

There was a lot of glass artwork here in the shops. I could imagine the chaos a Tauros-hybrid could cause in here.

We stopped to talk to a little girl who seemed to run a glass shop all by herself. Her big brother helped her, as it turned out.

I felt sorry for her; she seemed to be about as old as Safara.

We got to visit her brother Mateo. He wasn't happy with his own glasswork; said they didn't have any inner fire and that he needed inspiration.

His grandfather, now dead, had seen the crystal Onix.

I tried to remember if I'd ever heard of a crystallized hybrid at all.

We decided to stay and help them find the crystal Onix. Though…

"I've gotta tell you," I added, "we might not be able to stay too long."

"Oh, that's right," Misty looked at me. "You're on your own search, aren't you?"

"Are you looking for a Pokemon?" Marissa asked me.

"Sort of; more like a little girl, about your age. You won't believe this, but she's part little girl, part Vulpix."

"Wow!"

"I'd made a promise to her mother that I'd take care of her, but now she's gone, and I have to find her. Still," I straightened up again, "maybe she found the crystal Onix, and finding it will help us find her."

"Okay then!" Ash declared.

* * *

We got to seeing a large mountain. Then Tracey released a Venonat to look for something that looked like Mateo's glass Onix.

"I'd help, but I work better with a scent or sound."

"What do you mean?" Marissa asked.

"Uh…" Then I let my ears go Eevee.

"Ooh!"

My ears had no chance to return to human-state when Tracey released another Pokemon: Marill!

When Tracey played the sound of an Onix's cry for Marill and told it to listen, I listened as well, since my ears were supersized anyway.

Soon, both Marill and I heard something and we took off.

The sound we'd heard had come from an island connected to our beach by a sandbar!

And…I was the only one to avoid falling into a hole dug by Team Rocket, thanks to going hybrid and scrabbling at the edge. My shoes fell in, though; they never stay on my paws. I'm just glad I'd rigged up my jeans to allow for a sudden tail-sprout.

Team Rocket walked off to catch the crystal Onix and Marissa started crying.

"Chill," I looked back into the hole, "Team Rocket couldn't catch a sick Psyduck. A crystal Onix is out of their league."

Everyone got out of the hole and Ash offered me my shoes. I took them and tied them around my neck, deciding I was faster in my true form, on all fours, and without shoes.

* * *

…Team Rocket got caught in their own traps right in front of a cave.

"Told you they couldn't catch a sick Psyduck."

We went into the cave, ignoring Team Rocket.

I shivered. "I'm…not sure Safara would come in here; it's too dark."

Then we got into an open space with a lot of crystals!

"Or…maybe she _would_ have run in, and decided to stay here a while." Then I sniffed the air and my ears drooped. "But she didn't; her scent isn't anywhere in here."

"I'm sorry," Marissa petted my arm.

_I admit…it's been long enough to where maybe she was here, and my nose just couldn't pick it up…_

Marill went for a swim in the lake. Then he popped up again. "_**I saw the Onix!**_"

"You're kidding!" I looked carefully.

It was in the water!

Tracey started sketching it as quickly as he could while we were all awestruck, and Mateo tried battling it with a Cloyster.

_If it just came out of a lake, would a water attack really bother it?_

Called it; it didn't work.

Then Team Rocket showed up again. Good grief squared.

…When would James learn that that Victreebel would always try to eat him every time he released it?

Staryu, Pikachu and the crystal Onix all worked together to blast off Team Rocket.

Then, amazingly, Mateo's Charmeleon was succeeding in beating the crystal Onix!

He decided not to capture it. Good, because I wanted to ask it something. Carefully, I went around to its head.

It reared up.

"Onix, wait! I want to ask you something!" I yelled.

It turned towards me slowly. "_**What is it, little one?**_"

"Have you seen a small creature anything like me before now? I'm looking for a little girl!"

He shook his head.

My ears drooped. "Oh. Thanks anyway."

Then he dove into the water again.

* * *

Back at the glassmaking shop, Mateo made Ash a little glass Pikachu and me a little figurine that looked amazingly like Safara standing on all fours! I made a careful slit in Safara's Jynx doll and put the figurine inside to keep it safe.

Then we all set off down the road again.

* * *

On the ocean, Tracey was making faces at Togepi, probably trying to get him to laugh.

Then he asked about Togepi's lack of any attacks. I considered telling them about the Metronome incident on Mandarin Island, then discarded it.

Then Ash opened his big mouth. "If Togepi had a better trainer…"

Then we got dragged into a whirlpool!

My last coherent thought before blacking out was, _I hope Safara didn't land in this whirlpool!_

* * *

We woke up on another island, that Tracey guessed was Pinkan Island, where nobody's ever explored. Then he dashed over to a cliff to start climbing. We ran after him, with me shifting to my true form.

At the top of the cliffs, we saw a pink Rhyhorn!

Suddenly, I had a guess what was here. _Something about the food here is probably what turns Pokemon pink. So if Safara landed _here_, and _was_ here for any length of time…oh, boy._

Tracey was carefully edging towards the Rhyhorn, staying downwind. He sketched a picture, and then started getting even closer.

I started worrying about Ash when he started talking louder. Then he played stupid and walked right up to it!

Leave it to Ash to get it mad. I was fighting-ready when suddenly we were transported out of its way and it fell off the cliff!

Tracey explained to Ash how he'd gotten so close without it noticing: being downwind and making his breathing match its breathing.

"Hybrids use that technique all the time in battle." Then I cocked my ears. "You think Safara might be here?"

Officer Jenny showed up and we got her to help us rescue the pink Rhyhorn.

Ash made a pathetic joke, and then we saw that Pikachu was turning pink!

Officer Jenny reassured Ash that it was because of the Pinkan berries, and it was only temporary.

* * *

At the base, Jenny explained that this was a Pokemon reserve and that visitors weren't allowed. She decided to let us off with a warning.

While Ash made a phone call, I asked Officer Jenny, "Have you seen a little girl here?"

"Hm." She studied me. I belatedly realized I was still in my true form with my shoes around my neck. "Well, I haven't seen anything like you before today, but that doesn't mean that there isn't. Why?"

"I was flying with her, and the ship got smashed. It spun around a few times, and I've been trying to find her ever since. Do you think she could have landed here? This was a while ago."

"It's a slim chance, but you're free to look around. What species of Pokemon is your little girl?"

"Vulpix. She might have avoided people; she's shy."

"After the amount of time she's been here, she could easily be pink if the berries affect her like the other Pokemon. But it's only temporary, so she'll be back to normal after a while. I'll let you take her off the island if you find her, since you've been looking for her for so long, but only if you can prove she's the little girl you've been looking for."

"Thank you."

Personally, I wasn't sure how Pinkan berries would affect hybrids. The color change might be permanent.

Then an alarm went off. People besides us were on the island!

We decided to help her drive them off.

* * *

It was Team Rocket. Why wasn't I surprised?

A pink Nidoking blasted them off and came after us!

…I don't really remember what happened after that. But in the end, Jenny tied it up.

* * *

I wandered around the island a little, with Jenny's permission, calling out Safara's name. "**Safara! Safara! Are you here? Safara!**"

"**Cor? Is that you?**" She was in a tree!

And…pink.

"**Safara!**" I held out my arms and caught her as she jumped. "**You're all right!**"

"**I'm _pink_!**"

"**I'm told it's temporary, but with us, you never know. Don't worry, I love you anyway.**"

I showed her to Officer Jenny, and the sheer fact that Safara was in her true form convinced Jenny that she was who I was looking for. I did warn her that maybe her color change was permanent, considering she was a hybrid.

* * *

Jenny gave us all a lift outside the whirlpools, and I saw Tracey'd sketched a picture of lasso-wielding Officer Jenny.

Misty was positive Togepi had saved us back from the Nidoking. I was willing to believe it, but I didn't tell her.

Instead, I introduced Safara to my friends. "**Safara, this is Ash, Pikachu, Misty, Togepi, and Tracey.** Guys, this is Safara."

She reacted beautifully: right hand to her forehead crest, then down to her heart-crest, and she did a small bow around at all of them.

Tracey sat right down and started sketching her. "Hold that pose!"

She opened her eyes and almost straightened up. "**Huh?**"

"**Don't move! He draws pictures of Pokemon, among other things. He wants a picture of you. He'll turn his drawing pad around when he's done.**" Then I looked at Tracey. "Turn your paper around when you're done, so that she knows."

"Hey, Cor," Ash asked, "What are you saying to Safara?"

"I'm using the language she's familiar with. She doesn't speak English right now. If she'd been attacked by a psychic Pokemon or a psychic attack, then she would, but she hasn't."

"Oh."

"So for a while, I'll have to be your translator."

That brought about a few laughs.

* * *

**A/N: Episodes 5 through 8 take credit. Oh - and just so that everyone else understands the system I'm working with now:**

Normal speech, _emphasis_

_Thoughts, _emphasis,_ how a Pokemon sounds to a human_

_**Pokemon talking,**_** emphasis**

******Hybrid language,_ emphasis_**


	7. False Starts

False Starts

* * *

Safara

Cor showed me the glass figurine of me before calling a Pidgey from above to take it to a "Professor Oak" so it wouldn't get broken. It was so pretty! Then we got off the boat we were on and rode on a Lapras.

I was on his head, feeling kind of sick and wondering when we'd find land.

Then we got soaked! I fell off into Cor's arms! "**What was that, a Wailord?**"

"**I don't think there are Wailord in these oceans,**" he told me, "**That was a couple of boats.**"

"Hey," the girl Misty yelled, "Watch where you're going!"

(If you're wondering how I understand this, Cor keeps quietly translating to me what the humans say.)

We decided to go check out why the boats were in a hurry.

I just wanted my pink paws on land again.

* * *

Cor

Fire-type hybrids take water travel somewhat worse than other types even if they're used to it. After a while, Safara won't feel quite as seasick while we travel.

While Safara sprawled out on the sand, we observed some news reporters talking about this island holding the secret to extinct Pokemon. I idly wondered what they were talking about; nothing actually goes extinct on Hyrikan.

They specifically mentioned a "Kabuto Mystery." I'd known a Kabuto-hybrid once; kind of shy, but he was fun.

Ash suggested we go check it out.

As we ran, I asked, "So…does this mean something?"

"Does anything die out completely where you came from?" Misty asked.

"Um, I don't remember if I took this class, but I don't think so."

"Well, they're trying to figure out more about some Pokemon that had died out a long time ago."

"Oh." I didn't get it, and they didn't bother trying to explain any more.

We saw an old fossilized shell of a Kabuto, and Ash looked it up in his Pokedex. I nodded in quiet agreement with everything the gizmo said.

Misty noticed that. "Are there Kabuto-hybrids where you came from?"

"If it's a Pokemon here, it's a hybrid there," I answered, "and a friend of mine was a Kabuto."

Tracey looked interested. "Really? What was he like?"

"Shy, actually. And he was older than me by a few years."

Then we saw the lead archae…um…fossil digger. It was Nurse Joy!

I idly wondered if I could have her look at Safara later; I don't think she got hurt in her fall, Tracey didn't think she got hurt in her fall, and she certainly isn't in pain right now, but she had fallen far, and besides, I'm no professional and would rather an expert checked her.

She mentioned to the news lady how there was some rumor about Kabuto oil, which improved people's health and made people live forever according to legend.

Ash glanced at me. "Is there anything like that – "

"Where I come from?" I finished, cocking an eyebrow. I actually figured they'd ask stuff like that to me a lot. "No…but we have long lives anyway. The only hybrid that we believe really can live forever is Ninetales."

Misty commented, "Wait a sec: Ninetales may live a thousand years, but that's not forever!"

"Tell that to the hybrids. For most of us, living to a hundred is quite common, and if they work at being healthy all their lives then they're still in their prime during that time. Ninetales, now…no hybrid knows that much about how long they live, which is one reason why Vulpix-hybrids," I looked fondly at Safara, who was in my arms and looking quite blankly at the humans in front of us - I wasn't translating anymore, "think very carefully before evolving. The other reason is that once evolving, they're stuck looking the age they were before they evolved."

"So if Safara evolved right now…" Tracey guessed, "she would still look like a five-year-old?"

"And," I added, "she'd still look five when she was a thousand. They have to know beyond a shadow of doubt what age they want to stay."

Then Ash and Tracey decided to waltz right into the interview. Why did Ash always have to do things without thinking?

After asking if they could help, they started yelling into the cameras. Sheesh.

* * *

Well…after everything got under control, we were allowed to help.

A couple Growlithe were leading the way with their noses, and we were following behind the Machoke. Well…I was following the Machoke, at least…until Safara leaped out of my arms and ran over to the Growlithe. I ran after her, calling quietly but urgently, "**Don't disturb the Growlithe, Safara!**"

I heard her ask softly, "_**Can I help sniff?**_" That was when I stopped.

One cocked its head and considered the pink furball. Then it nodded, adding, "_**Just stay with us.**_"

She nodded and put her nose to the ground, sniffing.

Nurse Joy looked at me. I'd stopped running and started walking next to her. "Is that your Vulpix?"

"Yeah. Her name's Safara, and she's really curious. She's young."

"I see. But why is she pink?"

"Um…" I glanced back at the TV crew. "Is it okay if I don't answer that one in front of cameras? Since these are your islands, I'm fine with telling you, but…"

"Okay."

"I'm also wondering if you could look her over. She had a pretty hard fall a month or so ago before I found her, and we haven't found a Pokemon center since. Tracey and I _think_ she's okay, but I'd rather a professional looked her over."

"I suppose I can do that."

Then we focused on the search again.

* * *

We ended up climbing a tall path. And then a large boulder nearly crushed us, and after that, Nurse Joy had her Machoke pair stop it!

That boulder had nearly given me a heart attack! I glanced over at Safara, who'd leaped onto a Growlithe's back and was shaking. "**You okay?**"

She nodded very fast.

After we got rid of the boulder and started walking again, Pikachu thought he heard something. It seemed like there was nothing there. Still…I let my ears flare big for a second, listening myself.

There _was_ something there…I just couldn't pinpoint what.

* * *

We finally reached a hidden bay and started digging.

Almost right after we started, though, boulders like the last one started coming down on our heads!

I panicked, slid to my true form, and ran. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Safara – also in her true form – running almost as fast as I was, but not quite fast enough! "Machoke!" I yelled, pointing.

One turned back and, barely reacting to her strange appearance, caught her up and ran with her.

When we were finally able to relax, Misty stated that maybe these accidents weren't accidents at all. Then Pikachu and Safara both noticed something and took off running, Safara still in her true form!

We followed after and saw a human running away!

Ash managed to tackle the guy, but then he and Pikachu got thrown off! All he said to us was, "Leave this island before it's too late!"

_Too late?_

He seemed extremely determined to get rid of us. I walked over to him, letting my ears twitch with irritation. "You nearly killed a five-year-old girl, so you'd better have a good reason to think there's danger here besides you."

His 'prophecy' made little to no sense. Then another scientist ran over yelling something about having found another fossil, so we went to see, me leading Safara by the hand and all of us leaving that guy behind.

It was in a cave. I carried Safara; she doesn't like the dark much.

The walls of that cave were completely made of fossils! I idly wondered if we'd find a Kabu_tops_ fossil here.

Then the roof started caving in! We started running out and then heard something I really didn't want to hear: Team Rocket's motto.

"**Who are they?**" Safara asked me.

I laughed softly. "Ha. 'Who are they,' she asks."

Team Rocket ended up falling over with that. "You mean she doesn't know, after all we said?" Jessie yelled at me.

I set her down. "Look at her! She doesn't speak English, everything you said just went right past her!" Truth: I wasn't translating their motto to her.

Well. That stopped them for a second or two.

Then they went right into why they were here. Complete with tossing a bomb at us and then using a net to drag as many Kabuto fossils as they could through their hole into a sky…

…That was red?

Then Kabuto fossils started coming back to life!

I could only imagine what Team Rocket was dealing with.

We started running as fast as we could to get out of there before more of the roof fell. We escaped the cave and then I looked back. Safara hadn't followed me! "Safara!" Why_ hadn't I picked her up again? She isn't as fast as the rest of us! I guess I'm not a very good caretaker yet. _I started running back in.

Nurse Joy grabbed my arm. "Wait! You can't go back in there, it's too dangerous!"

The old man said we had to go to the forest to save ourselves.

"What about Safara?" I protested as we ran.

The old man was quiet for a little bit. Then he said, "She is different from humans. Maybe – just maybe, I can't promise anything from them – the Kabuto will protect her and return her to you after the island has collapsed."

_Oh, Arceus, I hope so!_

* * *

We built rafts, and then had the Water Pokemon pull us out to sea.

_Safara…_

Then we watched as the Kabuto swam away. Suddenly, a whole bunch of Kabuto surfaced next to our raft!

Scientists, TV crew and friends panicked, but I simply crouched down next to them on the raft.

"_**Hybrid Cor?**_" they said as one.

"That's me."

"_**Your friend asked us to help her to you.**_" Then they started shifting around on each other, showing that they'd made a raft of themselves and covered over a very wet, but unharmed, Safara!

As I pulled her onto the boat, Ash asked, "Is she okay?"

"Yeah. She's just – "

"**I'm all wet!**" She shook herself off violently. "**I **_**hate**_** water!**"

I laughed softly as the last Kabuto swam away. "She's fine."

* * *

**A/N: Episode 9 of the Orange Islands takes credit. Yeah, Cor still needs some practice on protecting a little sister. Partly I threw this in to show that hybrids are capable of explaining things to other Pokemon, and getting any kind of help from them.**


	8. Absent Sidetracking

Absent Sidetracking

* * *

**Safara**

Actually, I wasn't scared of the Kabuto. I'd stayed to say hi. But when the cave started shaking, and I heard Cor call my name, I asked the Kabuto if they could help me get to my friend. So they did.

At least riding on Lapras didn't make me feel sick anymore!

* * *

**Cor**

Our next stop was some showboat. I figured Safara would have fun watching the Pokemon dance or whatever.

I still didn't get how the Pokemon could talk like humans. At least, I didn't until Togepi ran backstage and we had to follow him. Humans were using microphones to talk through them!

Some girl's Raichu didn't want to perform.

While we hitched a ride on the boat, one of the humans asked us if Ash could give the girl Kay some pointers about getting along with an electric-type. I offered my help as well.

Ash explained pretty well, thanks to quoting Brock, but then failed at explaining getting along with an Electric-type. I was thinking of Deseronto, trying to remember how we got along with him.

I tried to judge what was wrong with Raichu, and why it wasn't speaking along with Kay. Then after Ash got shocked by it, I figured I had the answer, or at least part of it.

I _was_ partly right: the girl was scared of him! One important thing to remember about Electric-types when you're trying to get along with them is that sometimes they can't always control their electricity when really excited, but it's nothing to really be scared of – being scared of them for that makes them pick up on your own electric current and get them even more nervy!

Then something hit the boat!

After a second explosion, Kay saved her Raichu from a hard impact – got shocked into the bargain, but fear _for_ Raichu had helped her overcome her fear _of_ Raichu!

Team Rocket had caused the explosions; why wasn't I surprised?

Safara ran over. "_**Is it those creepy people again?**_"

I picked her up. "**Yeah,**" I answered her softly, "**It's those creepy people again.**"

Apparently, for now, Team Rocket controlled the boat.

And…they were going to steal all the Pokemon. The humans, Safara and I were tied up, while they had all the Pokemon!

…_Did they forget I wasn't human?_

_Probably._

I shifted to an Eevee, losing my clothes in the ropes and half-tangling Safara, and ran over to my friends. The players slipped off to fool with Team Rocket's heads while Safara and I chewed at the ropes tying Ash, Misty, Tracey and Pikachu together.

Then smoke started flowing in, and we ran off to fight!

After another shocking revelation by Raichu, we were able to _really_ mess with Team Rocket's heads!

That was right before Pikachu and Raichu worked together to blast them off.

* * *

The next day, we had to help stand in, because one of the actors had a damaged throat! Kay and Raichu were the first introduction, and Ash spoke with Pikachu for the next part!

I even took my Pokemon form and brought Safara on stage, performing as ourselves! I mean, hey, since _my_ secret was out _anyway…_

And I'd never had as much fun in my life!

* * *

We went to another island to take a break in the travels, and I started absently looking around for my bag. You know, the one I brought from Hyrikan?

Then Psyduck went missing. Good grief.

A girl brought Psyduck back. His tail was glowing, for some reason.

He was about to evolve? Somehow, I doubted that was quite the case.

And Marina, that girl, was just as obsessed with Water Pokemon as Misty was. I stopped translating for Safara as soon as they started talking, since I knew she would be left behind, and besides, they were talking too fast for me to translate.

Then the two girls ended up in a battle – one that ended with some Golduck coming out of the water to help Misty.

_Should I tell her it isn't her Psyduck?_

Then Team Rocket showed up and tried to steal every Pokemon in the area. Instead, they caught Marina's Psyduck and Tentacruel, while we all ended up in trees.

We got Team Rocket beached, and then had to "convince" them to give back Marina's Pokemon.

Convinced them with a Golduck.

Then the girls finished their battle. Around then…when Misty tried to recall it…her own Psyduck came out of the ball.

I shrugged. "I could have told you that it wasn't yours, but I wasn't sure you'd listen to me."

The Golduck ran off to flirt with a couple girls walking by on the beach.

Misty said, sounding kind of… I don't know. "It's a Pokemon version of Brock."

* * *

As we left Marina behind, I suddenly looked at Misty. "You know…I know a thing or two about how to train for battle…if you want, I could teach Psyduck a few things the hybrid way. Maybe that'll penetrate his thick head."

She gave me the most pathetic starry-eyed look. "Oh, would you?" Then she backtracked and said, trying to sound unsure, "I mean, if you think it'll work."

I shrugged. "Well, it wouldn't hurt. It'd require me hanging onto him for a while, though."

She pulled Psyduck's ball out of her bag and held it out. "Okay. Just be good with him, all right?"

I touched first my forehead, then my chest, and then took the ball from her. "I promise."

Tracey asked, "Hey, Cor, what was that move? I saw Safara do it on Officer Jenny's boat."

I shrugged sheepishly. "It's a hybrid thing. Depending on the situation, it's either a respectful greeting or, like I used it now, a promise that binds my word to a person."

"Oh," Misty said, looking at her hand.

"And the first thing I'm going to do," I studied the ball critically, "is teach Psyduck how to swim."

* * *

Later, while we were sailing on Lapras, Ash was polishing the GS ball, Misty was playing with Togepi, and I was holding onto Psyduck's hand and helping him float alongside Lapras when all of a sudden we saw the darkest Nurse Joy ever paddling a rowboat past us!

"That looked like Nurse Joy!" I stated, pulling Psyduck out of the water and recalling him.

"I agree," Tracey stated.

Ash told Lapras to follow the boat.

"**Safara, hold on!**" I yelped.

We got to an island and started following footprints.

When we lost the footprints, Tracey declared his knowledge of observing Nurse Joy in about the same way he talks about Pokemon. Amusing for me, at least.

I started sniffing around, trying to find where she could have gone, while Tracey was still talking. I didn't find anything before something came up!

Beached, it was the biggest Magikarp I'd ever seen! Tracey's measurement put it at ten feet long!

"Hey, Cor," Misty asked, "could that be a hybrid?"

"Fish-type Pokemon almost never leave Hyrikan." I leaned over and sniffed carefully, anyway. "Still, this isn't one anyway: doesn't smell right. Besides, not even hybrids get _that_ big!"

Nurse Joy came over right around then. She handled that big guy easily – giving it some supplements, and then picking it up and tossing it back into the water!

Apparently, she just ran around in her kayak from island to island to treat sick Pokemon.

While Tracey sketched her, I carried Safara over. "Hey, do you think you could examine Safara for me? The last Joy I ran into was busy and couldn't. She fell a long way about a month ago and I'm not sure if she avoided injury then."

"Well, let's see." She took Safara from me and carefully studied her, me whispering reassurances to her. "Nope! She's just fine. She might have gotten a little bruised on impact, but that's healed over by now. I'll give her a couple of vitamins anyway because she's a growing girl. Interesting that she's pink, though; where did you say she fell?"

"I didn't. We were flying pretty high up on a, um, in a spaceship and it got damaged. When it spun around, she landed on Pinkan Island," I explained while Safara sniffed at, and then ate, the vitamins Joy held for her.

"Oh, that explains it!"

_She took my spaceship comment in stride pretty well._ When I glanced at Tracey's picture, I saw he'd included Safara in the sketch.

We introduced ourselves and she invited us for lunch. After lunch, we went to see how she checked up on the Pokemon.

Then we tried keeping up with her in kayaks. I tossed ropes to them from my kayak and did most of the work after a little bit, keeping my eyes fixed on her water trail.

* * *

That was the way it worked for the day: us paddling after her and helping her treat Pokemon.

After a little bit, even I lost her. Then we found her kayak, empty. Tracey was sure the worst had happened, but I reassured him that if anything really bad had happened, I'd have heard it.

After running from a Jigglypuff, we found her: she'd gone underwater to treat a Cloyster.

Ash and Tracey went underwater to see how she treated Pokemon down there. So did I, leaving Safara to stay with the kayak.

Her ability to stay underwater for so long was impressive. It was about as long as I could, I guessed. Tracey could hold his breath pretty well, too. But after a while, Ash had to go up. Before he made it, though, a Dewgong caught hold of him!

* * *

Later, back at the clinic, she apologized to Ash. Apparently that Dewgong was only playing.

Then she told us why she didn't work at a Pokemon center: she'd helped a wild Magikarp when she was young, and later it had helped her when she'd fallen off a boat.

After that, she went out one last time to help some baby Seel. Tracey tried to warn her off of it, because of the winds picking up for a hurricane, but she went out anyway.

When the weather started picking up even more, we went out after her. We had just reached sight of her when a large wave overturned all of us! The only thing that kept me in my canoe was that I went to my true form, and everyone else fell out of theirs!

We all released our Water Pokemon to get to an island. Psyduck ended up releasing himself and started floundering, but I yelled at him, "Just float like I taught you this morning!"

Well…he remembered that, at least. I paddled to him and caught his hand again.

Safara floundered over and climbed onto Psyduck's belly, then jumped onto the kayak.

"**Safara, could you hold Psyduck's hand? I need mine to paddle.**"

She nodded, I set Psyduck's hand on the edge of the kayak, and she sat on it.

* * *

Once to the island, we apologized for making more trouble. She was fine with it, and offered to take us to visit the baby Seel!

Then a net came out of the water and caught us all!

Team Rocket. Why aren't I surprised? I grabbed the net in my teeth and started pulling, muttering, "Joy, pull away from me!"

"Hm?" But she started pulling like I said.

_This won't get rid of Team Rocket, but at least we can help the Seel._ "**Safara, Ember the net between Joy and me!**"

She shook herself off one last time and started breathing her fire. Then she stopped in shock – the Magikarp was back! It slammed at Team Rocket's submarine over and over again, but it just couldn't beat it.

All I could think was, _Evolve…evolve…_

Then it evolved and blasted them off with one swipe of its tail!

Right around there, the net gave between Joy and me, and we fell down. The Gyarados actually took the net off of us, and we went to help the baby Seel.

Afterwards, she told us where to find the next Orange Island Gym. Right before we set off, though, she pulled me aside. "You said you're from outer space?"

"Yeah..."

"I found this stuck in the shell of today's Cloyster, and I'm wondering if it's yours."

She was holding out one of the Hyrikan regulation bags! I took it from her and studied it carefully, then opened it to look inside. "Um...it's not mine...but it might belong to one of my friends, whom I'm also still looking for. I think..." I studied a very pointy comb, "...that it belongs to Kerra. Thanks!"

Then we were off!

* * *

**A/N: Episodes 10-12 of the Orange Islands take credit. Figured I'd mention another bag being found - what does this one make? Four?**

**And also, I'm point-blank tired of Misty's Psyduck being useless, so I'm going to teach it more.**


	9. Another Badge, Another Teammate

Another Badge, Another Teammate

* * *

**Cor**

We sailed on for Navel Island. It had the biggest mountain I'd seen here so far. True, I'd seen bigger ones on Hyrikan, but this one was big!

Psyduck still had a tendency to panic in the water, but I'd gotten him comfortable with floating and being towed next to Lapras. (He was hanging onto my tail, the only thing I was allowing for my true form, since I needed my hands to hang onto Lapras' shell.)

When we got there and I'd put my tail away, the place seemed strangely deserted. Safara shivered in my arms.

Then some guy came over on a boat. "I bet you guys are looking for a gym battle!"

"Uh…yeah!" Ash answered.

Apparently, the guy's name was Danny. We introduced ourselves and Danny immediately took notice of Misty and Safara. (I'd given her permission to, when she heard everyone else using their names, to speak her own.) Apparently, he takes notice of girls. He shook Misty's hand and flattered her a little, and then even shook little Safara's paw and gently patted her head.

We walked after him, since we didn't know where we were going anyway. He explained about his backpack having everything he'd need for whatever he might encounter. I glanced over my shoulder at my own oversized bag. Currently, all that was in it were the bags belonging to Deseronto, Safara, Hugh and now Kerra. I hoped I'd find my own bag soon.

Misty started needling Ash. I considered stopping her.

I needn't have bothered: all Danny had to do was suggest that they liked each other and Misty stopped.

Tracey guessed that Danny was another trainer wanting to challenge the Gym leader.

I wasn't too sure, but…

We got to the gym, but going through the door just showed us a path leading up the mountain!

And according to the sign Tracey read, any trainers who wanted to battle the gym leader had to climb to the top!

I shrugged. "Piece of cake! **Come on, Safara.**" And then I started up the mountain, listening for anyone who wanted to follow me.

Tracey kept reading. Apparently, anyone using the help of Pokemon would be disqualified and friends of the challenger could use the cable car. I kept climbing anyway. "I need the exercise anyway; I need more than you guys."

Ash started up after me, along with Danny.

Once, I looked back. Danny was almost right behind me, and Ash was further down than that. I took my shoes off, tied the laces together, and gave them to Safara. "**Hold onto these for me: I climb better without shoes.**"

"_**Okay.**_"

Then I bounded up a couple paces and settled down again to a smooth steady climb.

The cable car passed us with Misty and Tracey calling that they'd see us at the top. I shrugged and climbed a little faster.

Then Ash slipped and almost used Bulbasaur. Then he remembered the rules and put the ball back.

* * *

At a ledge, we stopped for a breather, and then suddenly, Pikachu was almost grabbed by Team Rocket! Of course, that suction cup was the lamest idea ever. Ash kept hold of Pikachu and Danny pulled it off, and it whiplashed back and hit Team Rocket!

They tried again, and Danny got it stuck on a rock! Pulling that back put it through their balloon, and they blasted off!

"We don't need troublemakers like that on Navel Island," Danny said, sounding smug.

Ash just looked like he was in shock.

* * *

We kept climbing until we got into snow. I let my feet return to normal so that they wouldn't freeze. And then I returned to normal almost all the way: just my tail and Eevee-ears were missing.

Ash wrapped Pikachu in his vest and held the little guy close to keep him warm. I glanced back. "**Safara, how are you doing?**"

"_**Heart fire…heart fire…**_" She was chanting to herself and ignoring me. Well, if it was keeping her warm, who was worried?

Finally, we made it to the top. Tracey and Misty were wrapped in blankets and waiting for us.

They ran to us in excitement, though I wondered if maybe Misty would run past Ash and me and instead go to Danny.

Called it.

Also called it on my "not sure" earlier. Danny was the gym leader, and a member of something called the "Orange Crew"! He looked at me. "You passed as well, but it's your choice."

I shrugged, almost painfully aware of my furry face. "I wasn't climbing for a challenge from you, I was just climbing for a challenge."

"I see. Well then, I suppose I'll just be competing with Ash."

Ash was in shock, though he got over it quickly when the rules were being explained to him. Apparently, Ash had to win two out of three challenges to get the badge.

Challenge number one: freeze hot water. Danny chose Nidoqueen, and Ash chose Lapras. Danny won that one.

Challenge number two: sculpt the ice into a sled with only three Pokemon. Ash chose Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Charizard. Charizard worried me.

Danny chose Machoke, Scyther, and Nidoqueen. Everyone started working.

Charizard just sat there, looking bored, while Pikachu and Bulbasaur worked at the ice. After Ash begged Charizard for help, Charizard used several Flamethrowers and actually finished the ice sled first!

Everyone was surprised about that! Charizard just looked very smug. I looked at him. "You enjoyed that, didn't you?"

He looked up at me. "_**Yes.**_"

Challenge number three: race the ice sleds down the mountain. Ash raced down with Pikachu of course, and Squirtle and Bulbasaur.

Misty, Tracey and I took the cable car down to the bottom to meet them at the finish.

After about a half hour or something, we saw a sled coming. I stared hard and told them, "It's Danny!"

"_**Where's Ash?**_" Safara asked.

Then Ash came by, zooming past Danny and losing almost all his sled, but crossing the finish line first! Then he wiped out in the ocean.

Danny went out into the shallow water and gave Ash the Sea Ruby badge.

Misty was sad that Danny had lost. I felt like Tail-Whipping her.

Then we set out again for our next adventure.

"Hey, Cor," Tracey suddenly said, "while we were at the gym waiting for you, we found something." He held it out to me.

I stared at it for a second. Then I grinned. "It's another hybrid bag!" Taking it, I opened it. "Now let's see whose it is…" _Let's see…oh! This looks like…_ "It's Gryphon's!"

_Now I only have eight bags left to find!_

* * *

**Ash**

While we surfed around, Cor kept having Psyduck float in the water holding onto his tail so that he stayed with us. He was starting to get more comfortable letting the water hold him up.

"You know, Ash," Misty suddenly said, "Cor isn't really treating Psyduck like a Pokemon at all!"

"No," Tracey added, "he's treating Psyduck more like a kid. Then again, maybe that's all Psyduck is to him: a child that learns more slowly than others."

"Hm…" I said. Then we spotted some islands up ahead! Tracey called them the Grapefruit Islands!

"Cor, recall Psyduck! Lapras, full speed ahead!"

* * *

**Cor**

We got to one of the islands and Ash picked a grapefruit. Right around then, a girl came running towards us yelling something about thieves.

Somehow, considering Tracey had called the islands entire groves, I figured she meant us.

Called it. We managed to straighten it out, and then she explained what was going on.

_Someone's been stealing grapefruit, huh?_ I watched Pikachu try to pick up the one that Ash had picked. He could barely lift it. I was curious about how a grapefruit tasted – they don't grow on Hyrikan – but I wasn't going to try any until I got permission.

She explained how much work went into growing such large fruits, and then someone ran over and mentioned the thieves again!

We all tore off to see if we could catch them.

Well…we found the culprit: a Snorlax!

_Why aren't I surprised?_

We started trying to pick all the grapefruit before the Snorlax got to them. Ash had Bulbasaur help, and Misty had Staryu help. I went to my true form, left my shoes with Tracey, and leaped into the branches, knocking as many down as I could.

Safara did the same thing and started imitating me.

Well…we got a lot of the grapefruit in a pile, but it just came over to us and started eating them. So, we started trying battling it.

It didn't work. Instead, it went to eat more grapefruit.

Ash looked at me. "Can't you try talking to it or something?"

"While he's eating? No! He won't listen to me right now!"

"How do Snorlax-_hybrids_ get enough food, anyway?" Misty asked.

"They don't. Not really, anyway. They have to discipline themselves to only eat as much as they see someone else eating or to only eat when everyone else is done, and then go to sleep for a while or work to take their minds off food. Of course, they also don't need quite as much food as an actual Snorlax: while a Snorlax needs nine hundred pounds like Ash's PokeDex said, a Snorlax-_hybrid _only needs six hundred pounds, because normally they're a bit smaller."

"Oh." Misty sounded dejected.

* * *

It stripped this island and then jumped in the water to swim to another island!

On the next island, we found Team Rocket. Figures. At least they'd picked enough grapefruit to keep it in one place for a little bit.

We tried a few stunts, but they didn't work. Then Team Rocket tried some stunts of their own, which also didn't work. The last thing we tried was Pikachu, which…worked for a couple seconds. Then he went back to eating.

…I don't know what James thought to accomplish, but he gave us the idea of putting Snorlax to sleep.

We tried a lot of stuff, but nothing seemed to work. At least Snorlax took care of Team Rocket for us.

Then we got the great idea of finding Jigglypuff! It was on the islands, after all!

We built a stage for it, and Snorlax showed up. Now we were waiting on Jigglypuff.

_Show up…show up…_

It showed up and started its song. Everyone and Snorlax started getting drowsy. Ash stayed awake long enough to catch Snorlax, but then dozed off as well. I stayed awake, purely from willpower, because if it's not a hybrid using it, effect attacks only really work if I want them to. It was a fight, though, and I was only halfway awake.

I vaguely noticed Jigglypuff get mad and grab all the felt markers and run to each person for some doodling, right before falling asleep.

* * *

LATER

We got all the marker off and got ready to part ways. "Oh, Ruby? Did you find any bags stuck on the trees some time ago?"

"Bags?"

I held up one of my friends' bags as an example. "My friends and I had a crashed flight and our bags scattered. I've still got to find mine."

"Oh, we found one. Actually, the Butterfree found it and brought it to us. We were wondering where it came from, or who it belonged to." She gave it to me and I dug through it for some reference point.

Well, I found it: Glaucia!

She also gave Misty a bag of candied grapefruit peels, which she shared with Togepi, Pikachu, Safara and me. I liked them! Then we set off again.

* * *

**A/N: Episodes 13 and 14 take credit. And before anyone asks, I don't know when Cor finds his own bag.**


	10. SpikeShell Badge and Learning Vulpix

Spike-Shell Badge and Learning Vulpix

* * *

**Cor**

At first, I was kind of hesitant on Ash and the others wanting to see an old trophy. But when we ended up on an old ship with a Gastly and a Haunter, it got way more interesting! They spoke through Team Rocket's Meowth, and told us the story of how they belonged to the winner of that trophy.

After blasting off Team Rocket, I asked, "Haunter, if you can control Meowth…could you teach Safara English? She doesn't understand it yet."

Haunter…saying it nodded is stretching it, since it doesn't have a head, but it bobbed. Then it glided over to her and set its hand on her head. Both its eyes and hers glowed for an instant, and then it glided backwards again, letting go.

Safara shook her head around. "That felt weird."

"Hey," Ash exclaimed, sounding impressed, "she really _can_ talk now!"

"Like I said," I added, while we left the ship, "a Psychic attack or a Psychic Pokemon can grant languages to a hybrid, and the spirit element you call Ghost-type counts as one of the only few elements that can give perfect knowledge."

* * *

After a few more misadventures, which included an island that thought Team Rocket's Meowth was a god – which made no sense to me, I mean, a _Meowth_? Meowth aren't even full-grown by hybrid standards unless they obtain an adult license! – Tracey catching a Scyther, Misty meeting her hero, some lovesick Nidoran, a troop of Magnemite, and a sewer monster, not to mention lots of Team Rocket attacks, Psyduck swimming lessons, and hybrid trivia from me, we got to the Trovita Island Gym. (I finally found my own bag – it was in the sewer.)

Well…almost as soon as we got there, Misty had to help save a little girl about the same age as Safara. And then the girl's brother, the gym leader…I think he's fallen for Misty. I really wanted to just gag. Like, _really_ gag.

Finally, Ash got the guy's attention for a gym battle. He told Ash that if he wanted to battle him, first he had to prove that his Pokemon could knock down all the targets that came up.

Personally, I thought that the test would have been more appropriate if Rudy had actually been paying attention to Pikachu.

Finally, the test was over, and every target had been broken. I wondered if maybe now Rudy would put more into the battle…if "battle" was even the right word for what these people do here.

Apparently, the battle tomorrow was to be an element-match two-out-of-three battle. These took place a lot back home on Hyrikan.

Then Rudy led Misty off somewhere, and we used the time to call Professor Oak. Tracey got carried away showing something to the professor, so we joined Pikachu eating some food.

* * *

The next day, we watched the match from a hot air balloon. Misty seemed very lost in thought.

First element: electric. Ash used Pikachu – of course – and Rudy used Electabuzz. Electabuzz won.

Second element: grass. Ash used Bulbasaur and Rudy used Exeggutor. Bulbasaur won.

Third element: water. Rudy used Starmie and – GAG – he dedicated his as-of-yet unclaimed victory to Misty!

Ash used Squirtle and – thank Arceus – won the match!

"Nice work, Ash," Rudy said to him. Ash wasn't even listening – he was dancing with Squirtle in a victory dance.

That evening, Rudy gave Ash the Spike Shell badge. Then he gave Misty a big bouquet of flowers with some random statement about how she'd already made her decision. Then he told Ash that he was a very lucky guy. Huh?

Then we set sail on Lapras again.

* * *

**Safara**

We got to an island that Tracey said had to have lots of Pokemon bigger than usual. Pikachu noticed an X on the map. As we walked, both of us were looking for the X.

Then we found a fruit basket in the road!

Misty stopped Ash, Pikachu and me from eating anything, saying it might be a trap. So we went over to a fruit tree to get some of those; I didn't mind.

Or I wouldn't have if we'd gotten the fruit instead of falling down a hole!

It was Team Rocket. I could understand what they were saying, and it still didn't make any sense what they always said when they showed up.

Ash and Misty started arguing, and I started hugging Pikachu. I would have been hugging Cor, but Tracey was on top of him.

Ash tossed both of us out of the hole, I leaped from Pikachu and he used a Thundershock – but it didn't work! He landed next to me with a gasp.

Then Arbok and Weezing used poison attacks on us! Not fair!

Before I could say "Meowth-o-rama," Meowth had leaped over and caught both of us with some cuff-like thing! I was strapped to Pikachu by my waist, and he put the other one on himself!

Then Team Rocket grabbed us and ran away!

"_**Safara**_," Pikachu looked at me, "_**can you shift us out of this?**_"

"No – Mommy told me never to shift big while wearing metal!"

"**_Um…isn't this an exception?_**"

"No! Shifting big with metal around my waist would really hurt both of us, and it wouldn't break! It's too tight for both of us as it is!"

"_**Oh.**_"

Meowth laughed.

Pikachu tried to shock them, and only ended up shocking me. I couldn't help it, I started crying. Pikachu tried to make me stop, but nothing was going to stop my crying once a ginormous Pidgeot grabbed our rope and flew us away!

Meowth said that Pikachu had to do something to get us down.

"**_I can't without hurting Safara! Safara, could you use a Fire attack on it?_**"

"I'll – snif – I'll try." I pointed my nose up at the Pidgeot's tummy and used Ember. My tears had choked me up so much, I only got out one good one, but it worked.

Then we were falling! Pikachu and Meowth were fighting over who would land on who, and by the time we got to the ground, Pikachu and I won!

Pikachu and Meowth then started fighting over which way to go. Meowth also said that the human lady Jessie had the only key to this stupid thing.

I was getting used to Pikachu's power really fast.

"Somebody will be looking for us! …I hope…"

* * *

Pikachu started picking the way. Having sparky power is useful, I guess. At least Meowth was giving up quickly, and he never had to use the shocks. Though we did end up getting stuck a couple times.

Meowth started acting really nice all of a sudden. I wondered what he was up to. Pikachu saw it and shocked him. At least he always said sorry afterwards for zapping me.

As we kept walking, Pikachu looked at me. "_**Saffy, are you **_**sure**_** you can't shift out of this?**_"

Saffy. That was new, and I liked it! But… "Mommy told me, if I tried to shift big while wearing metal around my waist or neck, it could kill me."

Meowth stopped. "She told a five-year-old _that_?"

"Five and a half," I said back, "and we can shift younger than that! I learned that Number One rule when I was three!"

"Oh," both Meowth and Pikachu said. Pikachu sounded sad.

"I'm sorry, Pikachu. I don't want to be chained any more than you do, but there's nothing I can do. We just have to find Cor and the others." Then my tummy growled and I whined, "And quickly – I'm hungry!"

Then Pikachu started looking around again. I suddenly guessed what he was looking for – that X mark on the map! – so I started looking with him, letting him pull me around.

Then we started getting chased by the biggest Rhydon in all the world! We got hit once, and I almost started crying.

"Don't cry yet, Safara," Meowth yelled, "this ain't over!"

We started running again. "Run first, cry later," I started saying over and over, "run first, cry later…"

Then we got cornered! Pikachu suddenly said we would battle it! Meowth got it to open its mouth, and Pikachu blasted it!

I suddenly didn't feel like crying anymore!

That night, we were all really hungry. When we saw an apple, Pikachu blasted it down, outsmarting Meowth! Then he shared it with me. We were going to eat, but then saw Meowth looking so sad. We looked at each other, and then Pikachu broke part off his half, helped me break part off my half, and gave both to Meowth.

Then we all fell asleep.

* * *

The sun woke us up the next day, and we had to run from the Pidgeot again! Then the Rhydon came back!

"There's a Rhydon in front of us," Meowth said, sounding scared as I was, "and a Pidgeot behind us! What do we do?"

Just when I was going to cry, Ash and Team Rocket showed up! Snorlax took on the Rhydon, and Arbok took on the Pidgeot!

First Meowth dragged us over to Team Rocket, then we dragged him over to Ash. I wanted to jump to Cor, but Pikachu was boss. Almost as soon as we were in Ash's arms, I started crying. I wasn't sad – I was happy! We were going to get separated again!

Then suddenly, Team Rocket grabbed Meowth and started trying to pull us back!

"**_Safara_**," Pikachu looked at me, "_**you have to shift!**_"

"I told you – "

"**_I know! But this thing would fit around your waist fine, wouldn't it? Don't worry about me!_**"

I nodded slowly. Then I focused on my true form.

It hurt both of us, but not as bad as getting hit by the Rhydon. Just when it started feeling worse…

The cuff broke! Ash, Pikachu and I fell one way, and James and Meowth fell the other way!

Team Rocket – after a small battle they lost – took off in their balloon, and they aimed a big thing at us!

Misty's Psyduck jumped out of his ball, though Misty'd said "Staryu," so she told him to use Confusion. Cor had been working with Psyduck on his swimming, not his battle skills, but I hoped it would work.

Well…something happened, and Team Rocket got another flying lesson.

Then I ran over to Cor and jumped into his arms, crying again. "Now I don't have to get Thundershocked anymore!"

Pikachu looked at me. "**_Sorry again._**"

"I know, and I know you had to keep reminding Meowth that you were the boss and keep fighting. But it still hurt!"

Cor looked at me and only said, "You're growing up."

* * *

**A/N: I'm getting tired of always typing one or two episodes worth of chapters, and besides, that'll make it too long. So, I'll only type monumental things from now on - gym badges, league-connected battles, movies, finding another hybrid or another hybrid learning English - and only give cameo mentions to the other episodes I watch.**

**A/N 2: That "adult lisence" Cor mentions? He explains it at the time, but since I didn't write it, I'll just tell you here: almost all hybrids are considered adult by the time they reach their final stage, and recieve an adult lisence. The exceptions are those that evolve super fast, like Butterfree. All of them, once they pass sixteen, can take a special test to try to earn their right as an adult. It's a specific ritual; once or twice a year, every young hybrid that wants to be considered an adult before it reaches its final stage - and that's if it evolves at all or isn't a quick-evolver - gathers and is randomly matched against each other. Any that win using only the attacks they know at the time and don't do any bending (read my other hybrid fanfic, it mentions bending), which is cheating, has earned the right to be considered an adult and is given a lisence; he, she or it has proven that they are strong, tough, fast, smart and resourceful.**


	11. The Power Of One

The Power Of One

* * *

**Cor**

I don't really remember what happened up to this. Still, I remember that after Charizard got to trusting Ash, we ended up getting blown into a storm and onto the Shem…I have no idea how to spell the name of the islands. Still, ah, the whole time we were there, Safara, Pikachu and I were tense. Like something was going to happen.

Then Pikachu grabbed Ash's hat and bolted out to the boat, and circumstances unfolded then. Ash got to the Fire Island, found a sphere, and then suddenly Zapdos appeared!

Pikachu started using his electricity to talk to Zapdos. I didn't understand it very well, though Meowth did. "It's sayin', 'What are you doing here on Fire Island, Zapdos, and where's Moltres?'"

Then it finally 'listened' to Pikachu's question and answered. Meowth translated, "It's sayin' 'Moltres used to rule here, but now that Moltres is gone, lightning shall rule over fire, and I shall claim this island as my own from this day forward.'"

Suddenly some enormous ship came down from above, captured Zapdos as well as all of us, and dragged us inside!

It was some human who wanted to collect the Titans!

* * *

Thanks to us, Moltres got free, and then it set Zapdos free and they started fighting. This brought down the ship on Lightning Island, and Ash found another sphere. We finally got back to the main island, and a talking Slowking…whom I still wasn't fully sure wasn't a hybrid…told Ash to put the spheres into the shrine.

I was officially impressed when Lugia appeared, though I didn't think that it could calm the titans down. After all…

"Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice or Lightning, lest these titans wreak destruction upon the world with which they clash. Although the Great Guardian shall rise to quell the fighting, alone its song will fail and thus the earth shall turn to ash."

…_Wait: _ash_ or _Ash_?_

* * *

Yup: the prophecy was talking about Ash. He ran off to get the last sphere, leaving us to wait and worry.

* * *

After forever, Ash got most of the way back…but that guy didn't take a hint, and he tried to capture Lugia, with Ash still on its back!

Both plunged into the ocean, and Misty and a girl named Melody were half-arguing over who would go help him.

"I'll go," I suddenly said, grabbing the rope. "I'm a stronger swimmer than both of you. You," I pointed at Misty, "watch out for Safara, and you," I pointed at Melody, "play Lugia's song." I clenched the rope in my teeth and dove in, striking out towards Ash in my true form, with my tail lifted above the waves so it wouldn't get water-soaked and slow me down.

Pikachu was frantic, trying to get Ash to wake up, when I caught up with them. I caught hold of Ash and then gave my head a hard shake, tugging on the rope.

Tracey pulled me back in with Ash and Pikachu in tow, and I just focused on two things: holding onto Ash, and holding onto the rope.

We got back onto the beach, and Ash finally woke up. He put the sphere into the shrine, and Melody played the song.

Even Safara and I could feel the effects of the magic – a very peaceful effect. The weather cleared, and the legends went back to their homes. After giving Ash one last ride, Lugia also went back home. "_**The beast of the sea has been tamed. The fate of the world could not be in better hands.**_"

_I agree._

**A/N: Based on _Pokemon the Movie 2000_.**


	12. Jade Star Badge

Jade Star Badge

* * *

**Cor**

Well, after some more adventures, including Squirtle training with a firefighting squad and Snorlax's ball getting broken, we made it to Kumquat Island. (Oh yeah – I finally got Psyduck swimming.)

Misty and Tracey had very little confidence in Ash's ability to win. I…had yet to see him lose, but I wasn't going to argue: even the best warrior on Hyrikan had a bad day and lost sometimes.

Almost as soon as we got there, a woman mistook Ash for her son. We…finally got things straightened out.

Then suddenly a giant mechanical Rhydon came up out of the water!

I looked at Safara. "Three guesses whose that is?"

"**Team Rocket?**"

"Probably. Not many other people like terrifying innocent bystanders."

Bingo. I rolled my eyes as they started quoting their motto.

Then they started using Weezing's Smog attack! I reached up and covered Safara's mouth and nose, as well as covering my own. "Last time Safara got hit by a Poison-type attack, she was coughing for three days afterward, and that attack only grazed her for being next to Pikachu!"

We had to run from that thing. Then Ash just stopped in their way and made them stop moving.

Poison Sting shot from the Robo-Rhydon's mouth, and that woman sent an Alakazam to defend Ash!

"Whoa."

"You're telling me, Safara!"

Then she just told us that she was the Gym Leader and helped take care of Team Rocket!

After the two of them blasted Team Rocket off, Ash asked the gym leader if he could challenge her. She effectively said, "Yes, but I'm not going to go easy on you."

We got to the gym…okay, it was a gym-hotel cross. I was more than a little uncomfortable in the fancy environment.

Around the time she showed us the arena, which looked like a stadium, she suggested a double battle to Ash. He seemed a little confused, but that didn't last long. He was fired up.

The match was going to be tomorrow morning. We had free run of the place until then, though.

Ash ended up taking a bit too much heat from a hot spring, and we had to fan him off. Misty looked at me. "Hey, Cor, are there double battles back where you used to live?"

"Um…" I looked at Ash. "I don't want to confuse Ash too much before a big match, so I'll just say, yes, among other things hybrids do double battle. Any detailed explanation on how hybrids do it will come after Ash's battle."

"Okay."

* * *

The next day, we waited to watch the match. I hoped Ash knew what he was doing.

Safara took on a human form so she could sit next to me and watch easier. I just hoped the gym leader didn't notice and wonder where the little pink-haired girl came from.

The battle barely started, and already I saw a problem. Ash had chosen Pikachu, which was okay, and Charizard, which wasn't. Charizard was listening to Ash nowadays, but he was still getting used to being a team player with the rest of Ash's team, and Pikachu was no exception.

After a heated start where Charizard was trying to battle it alone and the gym leader was winning, Pikachu finally helped Charizard. Then, Charizard caught Pikachu from getting Body Slammed!

Of all things, Ash won!

I picked up Safara, her cue to shift back to Pokemon, and we went over to congratulate the three.

Then the gym leader came over and gave Ash his Jade Star badge. Then we set off again on Lapras.

"So, Cor," Misty asked, "you were going to explain about double battles where you live?"

"Hm? Oh. Yeah. It's basically…the same as what you saw Pikachu and Charizard doing against Alakazam and Marowak: free-form, bouncing help off each other towards a team victory. What's really insane, though, is sometimes hybrids choose to have double battles that involve…more than two to a team."

"More than two?" Ash asked.

"Yup. The upper limit to doing that is six to a team, going it at once."

"Wow! I wouldn't mind getting involved in something like that!"

I sighed. "Yes you would. I've only watched one battle that was like that, and it was chaotic. The team members had to have their minds several places at once and know where all their team members were, where their opponent's team members were, and what attacks were being used by whom at whom."

"Oh." That wilted him quickly enough.

I touched his shoulder. "Hey, hybrids do single battles and ordinary double battles, too, so if you decide to battle a hybrid, you'll have no trouble at all except for strength."

"What's that mean?" he snapped.

I held up my hands in partial surrender. "Only that as a general rule, hybrids are stronger than ordinary Pokemon. I'm probably about equal strength to an Eevee, but I'm young, and Safara's younger still!"

"Huh?"

He still didn't get it, so I explained a little better. "Let's take your Pikachu. If he were to get into a battle with a Pikachu-hybrid that was an age that put him with exactly the same attacks as your Pikachu has…he would probably lose."

"Oh." He looked at Pikachu, a little sadly.

"Actually, I said 'probably.' Your Pikachu seems…um…Safara, I know you probably haven't been zapped by any Pikachu-hybrid that's the same age-level as Pikachu, but how would you judge this little guy's strength?" I'd never been shocked by Pikachu; Safara had.

"Really, really strong! Like Dess, only bigger than that!"

"Dess?" Misty repeated blankly.

"Deseronto," I translated. "He's about my age. And if Pikachu's electricity is stronger than his…he probably still wouldn't stand up to a middle-aged Pikachu, but against a young rip, he'd win."

That set the stage for some laughter.


	13. Ash's Great Victory!

Ash's Great Victory!

* * *

**Cor**

After running into a weird Pokemon watcher who studied Magikarp and Misty catching a Poliwag, we got to Pumello Island. Ash got verified, and we got to see the Orange League Hall of Fame, with items that honored every winner.

The match was going to be tomorrow at ten o'clock in the morning. And it was going to be a six-on-six match!

Then Tracey asked about a statue, and our guide told us that it was a Dragonite.

"Hey, Cor," Misty asked, "what are Dragonite-hybrids like?" She must have figured out if it was a Pokemon here, it was a hybrid where I came from.

"I don't know, I've never met one; but I know there's a whole colony of them under the ocean back home, and they rarely leave that, let alone the planet."

"Oh."

The shocking news to them, and partially to me, was that the Gym leader, Drake, had a Dragonite of his own!

"Good luck, Ash…good luck."

* * *

Snorlax wasn't waking up, even when Ash was having every one of his Pokemon attacking it at once. Clearly, he'd need to get one of his other Pokemon from Professor Oak.

The question was: which one?

Ash chose Tauros!

"Gee, Ash," I looked at him, "I didn't know you had a Tauros."

"Actually, I have a lot of them! All of them are from the Safari Zone."

"I'll…pretend I know what that means."

Evidently, though, he'd never used Tauros before. Still, he had a point when he said that he was hoping for beginner's luck.

Fortunately, Tauros seemed inclined to listen to Ash in the Pokemon Center.

* * *

The next day, Safara and I were both in our human forms following Ash out to the arena. (Actually, while in our human forms, our hearing wasn't quite as acute, which was why we were in that form: trying to avoid hearing loss from the crowds.) The two battlers greeted each other, and we got ourselves set.

The first Pokemon Drake used was a Ditto. Ash chose Pikachu.

"Good luck, Pikachu!" Safara called.

Ditto became a Pikachu, and I was not sure Electric attacks would work on it.

"Hey, Cor…"

"Don't ask – I don't know. If there are Ditto-hybrids, they generally stay off to themselves."

Pikachu ended up falling under the field, and for a second, it looked like Ditto had won, and Ditto thought so, too.

But Pikachu just got back up, and kept trying. It was still looking pretty bad. Finally, though, he won the round!

"I…think Pikachu's out of electricity," I commented.

Then Drake chose Onix!

"Hoo…boy…he'd better switch to someone else."

_He switched to Squirtle, _that's_ right, good boy._

The match was rough for poor Squirtle, but the Hydro Pump surprised Onix and Drake. With a final Skull Bash, Onix was down!

Of course, it looked like Squirtle was pretty well worn out, so Ash had better switch again.

Especially since Drake chose Gengar!

Ash's choice for replacing Squirtle was Tauros! …Does he even _have _a strategy?

Well…he had to switch again because of a Confuse Ray. This time, he picked Lapras.

After a couple exchanged attacks, Night Shade hit Ice Beam and caused a big explosion!

When the smoke finally cleared, Lapras was unconscious. So was Gengar! It was a tie!

"Whew!" I sighed. Then I straightened up again. What would Drake pick next?

Well…first there was a field change timeout. "How are you holding up, Ash?" I asked.

"Okay…"

* * *

Then the match started again. Drake chose Venusaur. The logical choice would be for Ash to choose Charizard. Would he?

…Ah…no. He chose Tauros again. Did he even make a plan during the break?

Well…the sandy arena threw Tauros a couple of curves, but he did seem to be holding his own – right up to when he won!

Drake's fifth Pokemon was Electabuzz. _I wonder if Ash will switch to something else._

He switched to Bulbasaur! I'd spoken with the little guy earlier, and learned that he'd passed up a chance at evolving, so I guessed he'd do better than I'd originally worried.

Well, he certainly shook off a Thundershock easily enough. But then a Thunder Punch took him down!

_This leaves Charizard! He _has_ to use Charizard – he's the only fresh one left!_

The heat was pouring on! First Electabuzz was giving the pounding, then Charizard! Safara was bouncing up and down next to me, cheering for Charizard.

Charizard Seismic Tossed his opponent for a grand victory, and then launched a bunch of Flamethrowers into the air; typical Charizard.

_Six Pokemon knocked out, and five of them are Drake's. Why does that seem more ominous than reassuring?_

_…Possibly because of Dragonite. It's not the fastest thing alive, but it's strong._

Then, Drake called on it.

I shuddered to think what sort of trouble Ash would have defeating it, and was glad _I_ wasn't the one on the field right now.

Ash stayed with Charizard for a little bit, but after Dragonite used Water Gun, not to mention several other devastating attacks, it seemed like Charizard was going to epically lose this match.

Well…Charizard lost. If it was any other trainer, or even a hybrid team, I'd say that this match was over, given that Charizard was the only actual final-stage on Ash's team.

But I wasn't going to count him out yet: Pikachu was the strongest little guy I'd ever seen here.

Squirtle was used next, and…I sincerely doubted he'd last long.

Called it; he was out.

So was Team Rocket. They tried to steal Dragonite, but then Dragonite blasted them off.

Next in line for a pounding was Tauros. He also managed to pull a few surprises, such as using his head to catch Dragonite, but he was still taken down.

It was all up to Pikachu now.

He got whacked by a tail, and it looked like he was going to be hit with a Hyper Beam when –

Where'd he go?

He landed on Dragonite's head! And Dragonite was so exhausted, he couldn't shake Pikachu off! All that was left to be done was one good Thunder.

Pikachu certainly provided that right before being shaken off. The two were just looking at each other, breathing heavily. One of them had to fall.

One of them did.

And it was Dragonite!

"Dragonite is unable to battle; the winner of this competition is Ash Ketchum!"

Ash received his trophy, with all his Pokemon looking on; every one of them proud of each other, and themselves.

I was proud of them, too.

* * *

**A/N: Now I just need to figure out how much time I'll be killing in episodes before Cor finds his next friend. ^_^**


	14. Returns, and to the Johto League!

Returns, and to the Johto League!

* * *

**Cor**

We were sailing…I don't know where we were sailing, but suddenly, Lapras made a hard left and started off at high speeds!

"Lapras, what's wrong?" Ash asked.

It spoke, and I listened, my ears getting larger.

"What's he saying, Cor?" Misty asked me.

"Um…I'm not as familiar with Water Pokemon language as I should be, but I…think he's more excited and anxious than scared."

Finally, we saw the goal: a whole bunch of Lapras! Tracey's guess was that this was the same group that Lapras had been separated from.

Safara shifted to her true form. "Um, Cor? I'm a little nervous."

"Hey, you get along fine with this Lapras, **sweetheart,** you'll be fine."

"Okay."

But the school just kept going, even though Lapras was calling to them! This one lighter-colored Lapras female seemed to want to pay attention to us, but a different one just made sure she stayed with them.

And then the leader of the group kept us from following with a Mist attack!

* * *

We called Professor Oak, and he told us that the behavior was unusual, but that it was possible that humans had caused them to be like that.

Officer Jenny told us about pirates, and Ash was sure that Team Rocket was behind this. I wasn't quite as sure as Ash was, but still…

How did Team Rocket even get here? Come to think of it, how did they get so injured, or were they faking?

Nope. They weren't faking. The pirates had given them a hard time, too.

I sighed as they ran out a window. "Let them go. Team Rocket just doesn't like the concept of working with authority."

We set off on Lapras again to try to catch up with the school. …Okay, I wasn't used to calling them "schools." The Lapras I knew said that they called their groups "pods."

Well…we found them – being attacked by pirates!

Tracey used Marill and set off to get Officer Jenny, while we stayed to try to help the other Lapras.

Pikachu used a Thundershock, and hit everyone! At least it got the Tentacruel's attention off those Lapras.

We had to dodge cannonballs, and everyone released their Water Pokemon. I dove into the water as well. "I don't know what I can do, but I gotta do _some_thing!"

Four Water Guns took out the cannons, and hit the ship as well! I swam around the ship to get to the Lapras, with Ash following me. We were taunting the Tentacruel.

Finally, Ash got the Tentacruel chasing his Lapras so the others could get away. I swam over to the pale Lapras. "Hi. Um…there's only so long I can tread water…may I?"

She looked at me, and then nodded slowly. I climbed on and straightened up so that I could watch Ash. It looked like he was in big trouble.

Then suddenly, I had had it with the way things were going. "Lapras, everyone! Use Ice Beam!"

And what do you know, they did it! Maybe it was because I was a hybrid, so I was clearly not a human!

Apparently, they were going to let Lapras join their pod again. The pale one was his mom!

* * *

That evening, Officer Jenny met up with us. The pirates and Team Rocket were all arrested, and the Tentacruel were set free to go where they wanted. And Lapras rejoined his pod and they set off, with all of us yelling our farewells.

* * *

Then we got to another island. For some reason, a bridge blew up, and the island it was connected to seemed deserted. Safara and I went to our true forms and quirked our ears, listening for any voices or sounds.

We found the ferry, but the door leading to it was locked. Then we had to go find Togepi again. We found Togepi playing a balancing act on a Voltorb!

Well…Misty had hold of Togepi, but Togepi was hanging onto the Voltorb. My nose twitched when Ash suddenly said he didn't think we were alone, and I agreed: "I smell Electrode – a lot of them!"

We had to run from the Electrode, with Togepi still hanging onto the Voltorb, as they all started exploding!

Then we were surrounded! I hugged Safara and my ears came down over my eyes.

Suddenly, a stranger released a bunch of Diglett to counter the Electrode! He brought us to a safer location. Togepi was still playing with the Voltorb, but it seemed safe enough, for now.

He told us what was going on, and that the ferry wasn't working. He also told us his name was Poncho, and he was a Diglett rancher, relocating the Electrode off the island.

Then he got taken off the job by the mayor, who'd hired someone else to clear off the island today!

I laid a bet with myself that the people who'd gotten hired for the job were Team Rocket.

Called it: they showed up in a huge machine and started blowing up the Electrode, tiring them out so they could steal them!

Pikachu tried his best, but the machine was shock-proof!

"Safara's not strong enough in her flame to do anything against this thing!"

Finally, Poncho got out a Dugtrio, and they dealt with Team Rocket. Then he used his Diglett and took care of the rest of the Electrode.

He had a balloon, and we went to see the Electrode in their prairie, definitely happier now.

Togepi's Voltorb friend decided to stay with its friends. Togepi was sad, but he'd get over it.

* * *

The next day, the ferry was working, and we could go back to Pallet Town. "You've never been here before, Safara, but I guarantee you'll like it!" I told her.

It was just a short walk from the dock, and we were back!

When we got to Ash's house, we found Brock!

"Brock! What are you doing here?" I asked. Then I remembered. "Oh – Brock, this is Safara. Safara, Brock."

She bowed to him, miming the same greeting that she'd given Ash. "I've heard about you."

"Yes, and I've heard about you, too. So, Cor," he asked while he got us some tea, "why's she pink? You hadn't mentioned that before."

"Um…that happened when she got here?"

"I'm going to get that a lot, aren't I?" Safara asked me, looking resigned.

"Yup."

He…didn't seem ready to say why he was here and not with Professor Ivy.

"She must have dumped him," Misty sounded resigned.

Finally, we saw Ash's mom. Misty asked her how long Brock had been here. The answer seemed to be about a week.

I was about ready to Tail-Whip Ash and Brock for being immature.

Finally, Tracey reminded us about going to see Professor Oak. Ash gave his mom his trophy, and we went to find the professor.

Brock went with us.

* * *

When we got there, we found the professor…having a slightly hard time with Ash's Muk.

Tracey was totally star-shocked. Ugh.

Finally, we got everything sorted out, and the professor got to see Safara. "How long do you think your Pinkan Island misadventure will remain evident?"

"Um…" Safara scratched her ear. "It could…be a while."

"I see."

During the tour, we got to see just about all of Ash's Pokemon. Then Tracey showed the professor his sketches.

I elbowed him. "Tracey, you're as nervous as a Ninetales-hybrid in a room full of rocking chairs! Relax!"

Then suddenly, something fell over the whole building!

I glanced at Safara. "You want to say it, or should I?"

"Team Rocket. Those meanies just don't give up, do they?"

"Nope."

Everyone was getting a rise out of Brock today – even Team Rocket!

And the battle went a little…crazy. Muk fell all over Jessie, and James' Victreebel tried to eat him again.

I rolled my eyes. "Safara, go work on torching this tent, will ya?"

"Okay." She wandered out of my line of vision.

Muk was giving Team Rocket a hard time, beating first Victreebel, then Likitung.

Suddenly, a Sleep Powder worked, and we were tied up by a ring-toss game! Then they pulled out a gigantic vacuum and started taking all the Poke Balls!

"Cor, can't you _do _something?" Misty yelled. True, I was still in my human form, when I could have been trying something else.

"If I give that suction any hold on my ears or tail, I'd end up caught, too!"

Just as the GS Ball got sucked up, suddenly a tear formed in the tent and it blew away, causing the balloon to fall and scatter all the balls again!

Safara ran over. "There's a stranger here!"

It was Gary! His Nidoqueen bested Team Rocket!

Then it came over and freed all of us. Ash looked kind of sore that Gary was getting all the attention. Next thing I knew, he was trying to one-up Gary, and challenged the guy to a Pokemon battle. I sighed.

It did occur to me that Gary had yet to see me as myself. Safara had run back inside out of being shy, and was probably in her Pokemon form under the coffee table.

Safara came out to watch the battle – sure enough, as a Vulpix.

Gary suggested a one-on-one battle. Ash chose Pikachu, and Gary chose – Eevee!

All at once, I felt torn. On the one hand, there was species-loyalty; but on the other hand, Ash was my friend!

Brock started them off. Personally, I wished Ash would just shut up and battle.

Gary's Eevee knew Reflect!

And Double Team!

Okay, Take Down was more like what I was expecting, but I didn't expect a well-aimed Skull Bash!

Pikachu lost to Eevee! …Was I happy, or sad?

Then Gary just left, saying he had a lot more work to do. He absently waved in my direction, though I doubt he really noticed I was new. The last time he'd seen me, I was an Eevee.

* * *

Later, we heard that Gary had left on a new adventure. The professor – who, incidentally, was having no luck with the GS Ball – told us that Gary was going to the Johto League.

Ash decided he was going to go to the Johto League as well. Before he and Misty could get into any argument, I added, "I'll go with you, Ash. I still need to find the rest of my friends, and it's possible that some of them ended up there!"

"Okay!"

Brock decided to go with us, too! And so did Misty. Then Professor Oak gave us the GS Ball again, saying he needed our help to find out more about it.

He told us where we needed to go, and we decided we were about ready to set off. We stopped by Ash's house, where his mom was packing his bag. She even threw together a few things for me, rearranging the stuff in my bag so that I could get at everything easy!

"Thank you, Miss Ketchum!"

"Just take good care of your pink little darling!"

"Don't worry," I smiled at my "pink little darling" on my shoulder, "I will!"

I did take notice when Misty said "new Pokemon."

During the going-away dinner – Safara chose her true form to sit at the table with us – Misty accidentally set Brock off again. Then Professor Oak gave Ash a new Pokedex!

"Hey, Ash," I held out my hand, "let me see it! I want to see if any of my friends are in here!"

"Don't worry, Cor," the professor held out an identical one, "you get one, too! I know you've probably seen every Pokemon there is, in a different way of course, but you don't have to borrow Ash's every time you want to check on something!"

"Thanks!"

"Besides," he added as I took it and started skimming the pictures (my ears had gotten larger and quirked towards him to keep listening to him without looking), "you might want to enter yourself as a Pokemon trainer eventually. This will give you identification."

"Cool." _There! One, two – three of my friends are in here! Now I know that they'll probably be here! Byrony, Deseronto, and Kerra!_

_...Uh-oh. Byrony. Should I warn Misty about him? ...Nah. At least, not right away. Maybe after we get on the road._

Tracey was going to stay behind.

Then suddenly, Team Rocket showed up. They were pretending to be…news reporters?

They succeeded in snagging Pikachu, and we had to run after them. Scyther freed Pikachu, and Pikachu and Marill worked together and blasted Team Rocket off.

The next morning, we set off for the Johto League!

* * *

**A/N: Why would Cor have to warn Misty about Byrony? Well...read Chapter 1; he's a Spinarak.**


	15. Warnings

Warnings

* * *

**Cor**

After we got to Johto, and as seems par for the course traveling with Ash, had to deal with several interesting problems, Brock suddenly asked, "Hey, Cor, what happens if we find a hybrid and you're not there? How would we win its trust?"

Personally, I was amazed that it took my friends this long to ask. "Well…like me and Safara, they're not likely to be able to understand English. Before you could have a Pokemon translate what you're saying, you'll have to convince them that you know or guess what they are. And that would take something said by you, in Hyrikan's language."

"Can you teach us?" Misty asked.

"Well…" I studied them. "I could teach you our respectful greeting. They'd recognize that in a heartbeat."

"Is that what goes with that hand gesture thing?" Now it was Ash's turn to ask a question.

"Yup; it comes down to, practically, one word per touch. Either hand could be used, but generally it's the right hand." Then I set my right hand to my forehead, slowly lifting it off again and touching my chest instead, saying and enunciating clearly, "_Azaros nihlis._"

Ash tried saying it first. "_Azalos…nihlus_?"

His accent was atrocious. I shook my head. "No…sorry, a hybrid's accent tends to roll 'r' into something that sounds more like an 'l.' It's 'Aza_ros_,'" I repeated, dropping the accent to make sure he caught the 'r' sound.

"Oh."

Misty and Brock repeated what I'd said relatively well – I'd almost say better than Ash, except that they heard where he went wrong, so they could correct for that 'r.' Then Misty asked, "So what does that mean, anyway?"

"The loose translation is 'Wisdom and long life.'"

Pikachu suddenly stated, "_**So doing that same move with a promise is like you saying, 'I'll remember this for the rest of my life'?**_"

_Sharp _little guy! "That's right!" I added to Ash and the gang, who looked bewildered, "Pikachu just guessed that the greeting hand gesture used with a promise effectively is a hybrid saying that we'll remember a promise for the rest of our lives, and he's right – though we never really think about it."

"Wow. You guys take your word really seriously, then," Brock nodded like this made perfect sense. Which it might have.

Pikachu suddenly asked, "_**So who do you think you'll find here?**_"

"Who do I think I'll find here in the Johto region?" I repeated for the sake of the humans. Then I answered the question. "Probably either Kerra, Dess, or…Byrony."

Brock caught my hesitation, though. "What is it about Byrony that you're worried about?"

"Um…" I glanced around at them. "Kerra's a frost-hybrid, while Dess is a lightning-hybrid. Any guesses what those terms mean?"

Misty guessed. "Kerra's an Ice-type, while Dess is an Electric?"

"Yup. Now here's Byrony's general classification, and see if you can guess the reason for my hesitation, Misty: Byrony's an insect-hybrid."

She was quiet for a good twenty seconds. Then she cringed. "You mean – he's – "

"He's a Bug-type," I admitted. "Hence the reason I wasn't sure I wanted to tell you about him. He's about my age, and out of all of us on that shipload, he was probably one of only two that looked really bizarre even by hybrid standards – Kerra and Dess both resemble me and Safara after a fashion. Sure, he'll be in Pokemon form right now, but still…"

Misty all but wailed, "Do we have to go looking for him?"

"We have to, at least to some extent while Ash is collecting badges. Remember, he doesn't speak English, and if some other trainer catches him…"

Brock finished my sentence. "He won't understand a thing that his new trainer asks him to do, and all the poor kid will know is he's got a disobedient, uncontrollable Pokemon."

"It gets worse," I added. "Hybrids. Don't. Have. Masters. Not really. There's master and apprentice, or boss and laborer, but what trainers do is a tad closer, by hybrid definitions, to slavery. And hybrids, even young ones, rebel against slavery with a passion. A hybrid also…if it's not a Normal-type, they've got…they can kill. Especially if they know Poison-type attacks." That shocked everyone to the core. Then I set the final blow. "And Byrony's of an age to know Poison Sting."

Ash was the one who actually said this, though by now we were all thinking it. "We've got to find Byrony first - and fast!"

* * *

**A/N: I skimmed over the Johto Journeys episodes 1 through 6. Next chapter will be Episode 7.**


	16. Searches Over: Byrony!

Searches Over: Byrony!

* * *

**Cor**

Almost as soon as we got to the next city, we were passed by a police car. Brock went nuts, hoping it was Jenny in the car - right before tripping. Good grief.

Then Misty got spooked by a Spinarak!

And…it left Ash, Misty, and Brock tied up. It was still trying to catch me, though. "Sorry, Spinarak! I'm too fast for you!"

"_**Why you – **_"

Finally, Officer Jenny got everything straightened out, and even asked us to help her in catching a copycat thief.

We agreed…right after hammering Brock one for making a fool of himself.

Then another Spinarak showed up, and Officer Jenny explained about why they used the little guys as police work.

_Well, long-standing tradition is something I'm not going to argue with, but…_ "One of my friends is a Spinarak."

"Uh, really?" Misty stuttered. "Y-You didn't mention that!"

"No, I said he was a Bug-type. I didn't say which Bug, because I knew it wouldn't make a difference to you." I looked at Jenny with worry. "I've been trying to find him; if the wrong person catches him, he could seriously hurt them, even as low-level as he is! Do you think maybe we could check the other Spinarak on your force, see if he's one of them? At least he can recognize authorities, so if he somehow ended up here, he'd be relatively well-behaved."

"Well, I don't see why not."

* * *

When we saw inside the police building, there were lots of Spinarak hanging from the ceiling! Misty was definitely weirded out.

I glanced at Ash. "Ash, do you think you'd like to try talking to them?"

**Ash**

"Me? Really?"

"Sure, Ash. You might as well try." And he stepped aside.

"What do you mean?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Ah…my Spinarak…doesn't understand English. He and I grew up knowing a different language. I learned English, but I highly doubt he has. I taught Ash and the others my usual greeting, which I'm sure he'll recognize."

"Oh, I see. Well, go ahead, Ash; let's see if any of our Spinarak recognizes this greeting."

"Uh…" I walked into the room, and looked around. With all the Spinarak hanging around me, it was hard to decide which one to talk to.

"Just say hello to the room, Ash," Cor suddenly said. "If one of them recognizes what you said, he'll come over."

"Oh, okay." I took my hat off and set it against my chest, saying loudly as I did, "Uh, _azaros…nihlis?_"

Most of the Spinarak just ignored me, or gave me weird looks.

Suddenly, though, a Poison Sting arced from a corner and struck the floor near my feet!"Hey!" I turned and looked.

One Spinarak was hanging there, swinging a little from firing. It didn't bother firing again, so it must have done that just to get my attention.

I walked over and repeated, "_Azaros nihlis._" Then I set my hand against my chest and added, "Ash!"

The face on its back suddenly smiled! It moved one leg up and tapped its horn, and then moved that leg out of sight behind its body, answering, "_Azaros nihlis._ Byrony!"

I held out my arm. "Pikachu, could you ask Byrony to climb onto my arm so that I can take him back over to Cor and the others?"

Before Pikachu said anything, though, Byrony suddenly repeated, "Cor?" and jumped on by himself!

**Cor**

Ash came back over to us, carrying Byrony! "Hey, look who I found!"

"Cor! **How are you doing?**"

"**Just fine, and so's Safara!**" I petted her from her vantage point of my shoulder.

"_**That's**_** Safara? Why's she pink?**"

She set a paw against her face, exasperated.

"**Long story. Byrony, these are Ash, Misty, Brock, and you know Officer Jenny.** Everyone, this is Byrony. **Misty has a fear of bugs, so try to go easy on her, okay?**"

He nodded. How do you read bug expressions? I'm glad he was the only bug on the shipload!

I glanced at Misty and Brock. "The least you guys could do is say hi."

It got Brock's attention off of Officer Jenny, at least. "Oh! Hi!" He'd evidently clean forgotten the hybrid greeting, anyway, and I doubted Misty remembered it.

Well, she didn't say anything. She just tried to smile, and waved.

* * *

Later, while everyone else held a press conference, I got a moment of alone time with Byrony. Sure, we could always understand each other when nobody else could, but it wasn't the same as being able to catch up together. I filled him in on what happened to me, and why Safara was pink. Then I asked, "**So…how are you holding up?**"

"**Okay…**" he didn't sound happy, though.

"**What's bothering you?**"

"**I'd love to be able to work better alongside the police force, but I don't speak their language, I'm failing at being honest with them…**"

"**So you haven't shown them that you're a hybrid.**"

"**No, I haven't. Worst of all, I haven't had any time to practice my Poison Sting.**"

That stopped me for a second. "**Wait…can't you use Poison Sting?**"

"**Oh, I can – ever since I was Safara's age. But I have trouble with my aim.**"

"**You can't aim?**"

"**No! Not with Poison Sting or String Shot! Far left, far right, too high…nothing's wrong with my eyes – that was specifically checked, but…**"

"…**But you can't hit your target.**"

His legs slipped from under him and he fell to the floor, clearly disappointed in himself. "**And how am I going to be of any use to the police force if I can't aim even my String Shot?**"

I touched his back. "**Remember Azelf's saying: when you need to the most, you will succeed.**"

He looked away. I couldn't tell if that was good or bad. So I went back with him to their press conference.

Apparently, it had been broken up early because of a warning from this thief, taunting us.

* * *

We all gathered at the man's house, one Spinarak on Jenny's back, and Byrony on mine. If the way he was clinging to me was anything to go by, he was still worried.

Ash released all his Pokemon, earning a compliment from Jenny. But then he was having trouble distributing them where they could hide. Most of them knew where they were going and Ash pretended he was telling them where to go, but Charizard…I idly wondered if Charizard was going to flame Ash.

Nope – he went over next to a Blastoise-fountain and posed, breathing out a puff of flame.

"Uh…can you stay like that?" Ash sounded doubtful.

"_**Sure.**_"

Jenny's Spinarak set up a web. When we went inside to wait for midnight, Jenny looked at Byrony. "I have yet to see this Spinarak – I mean, Byrony – spin a web of his own. Oh, he'll fire a String Shot to tie up a criminal, but he won't spin a web like my personal Spinarak did."

I shrugged. It wasn't my place to tell.

* * *

Midnight came, and no thief. We were served a meal, and suddenly right when our host asked if we wanted dessert, the lights went out!

And then the cat-burglars came in through the ceiling - and it was Team Rocket, here to snag the trophy!

I glanced over my shoulder. "**Byrony…couldn't you…**"

I felt him shake his head.

James threw a bunch of bottle caps at us, and tried to escape. Going outside, though, we saw that their balloon was caught in a Spinarak-web! Genius!

Ash was the one to have Team Rocket taken down, and the stolen items caught – all but the trophy!

"Byrony!" I yelled.

He leaped onto my shoulder and fired a String Shot, and it hit the Blastoise-fountain. Holding it taut, he squinted along it and adjusted its exact position so that the trophy bounced off the web! Then he leaped off my shoulder, ran a couple paces as a Pokemon, shifted all at once to his true form and, leaping two more paces, caught the trophy with his mandibles! "**Got it!**"

I stared. I'd almost forgotten what he looked like: my height, but somehow seeming slenderer; four arms, each ending with a three-fingered hand; two-toed feet; mandibles positioned on either side of his mouth; and his horn parting his bangs, the rest of his yellow hair kept short. Yes, indeed, he looked the most bizarre of our shipload, with Hugh being a close second.

* * *

The next morning, we got thanked by Officer Jenny. Byrony had returned to his Pokemon form and looked…vaguely sad, if I was reading him right.

Before we left, Jenny looked at me. "Cor, could you ask Byrony if he's ever coming back?"

I repeated the question. He cocked his head and thought about it. "**Well…I'd like to actually be able to understand her language, and I'd rather improve my aim a bit more, but…yes, I'd love to work here.**"

I translated, "He'd rather be able to understand English first, but yeah, he'll be back someday."

"In that case," she laughed a little, pulling out a badge from her pocket, "I'd like to present him with this, since he's going to possibly become an honorary police officer here."

I translated for Byrony. He climbed down off my shoulder and shifted to his true form again, accepting the badge and taking hold of her hand with his upper hands. I really wasn't expecting him to do what he did next, though: he knelt down in front of her and kissed her white-gloved hand! "**When I do return, it will be an honor to serve you, Officer Jenny.**"

_That sounded vaguely scripted. Then again, half the formal speeches to authority on Hyrikan sound scripted._ I translated as he let her go, stood up, and pinned the badge to the center of his shirt (when he shifted, the thing would probably take up his entire underside from that position), "He, uh, looks forward to coming back."

We set off again, Byrony returning to his Pokemon form and climbing back onto my shoulder.

_Misty definitely doesn't like his being here,_ I thought. Then I looked at how Safara seemed so happy to have company up on my shoulder. _Misty's going to have to get over it._

* * *

**A/N: As my readers have requested, a new hybrid has entered the picture! I loved designing Byrony's appearance! ^_^**


	17. Zephyr Badge and Farewell Charizard!

Zephyr Badge and Farewell Charizard!

* * *

**Cor**

Byrony's performance back at the police station made me wonder something. See, I know that every guy's different when it comes to girls, but as a general rule, hybrids don't start thinking seriously about girls until they're…in their teens, pre-teens at the earliest? _I'm_ still not interested in girls, and Byrony's _my_ age!

…Or _is_ he?

"**Byrony?**"

"_**Hm?**_"

"**How old are you again?**"

"_**You saw the signup sheet – I'm ten, like you!**_"

I wasn't buying it, and he could tell. Finally, he sighed. "_**Okay, okay…I'm thirteen, fourteen next week if time flows the same. The thing is, I look younger, and you know they don't have any psychics in charge at the shuttle bay! If I signed up my true age, and they thought I was lying, they'd never have let me on. They prefer honesty to age, which is why Safara was allowed to go.**_"

"**I see.**" At least, I thought I did. At any rate, this meant I had to reevaluate what Byrony's attacks were, if we ever had to battle. _Let's see…he knows Poison Sting, String Shot, um…Scary Face, Constrict, and…what was the next attack? A twelve-year-old Spinarak knows five attacks, what was that last one…_ "**What's your fifth attack?**"

"_**Leech Life.**_"

"**Thanks.**"

* * *

After a lot of crazy stuff happening which involved Ash catching a Chikorita, we finally got to the Violet City Gym. Ash was jazzed.

Until we ran into Team Rocket, that is. They seemed determined to cause trouble by pretending to be some weirdoes, and they caught Pikachu while Ash and the others were confused.

Heracross got sidetracked, and a flying kid rescued Pikachu, sending Team Rocket spiraling away!

The trainer and Ash ended up talking about Pidgeot. Then he introduced himself as Falkner, the Violet City Gym leader!

* * *

The first round, Chikorita versus Hoothoot, went badly. Chikorita lost.

Then Ash chose Pikachu to take on Hoothoot. Pikachu was too fast for it, and won that match.

Then Falkner chose Dodrio, and the fight went pretty freaky. Pikachu had to blast from above in order to win!

But Pikachu was worn out, and the final Pokemon was Pidgeot!

He picked Charizard. The two were practically the same size!

But then, Charizard got a hurt wing! And even with that, he _still_ won!

And with that traditional Flamethrower victory cry.

Ash had a Zephyr badge now!

Byrony was clueless, because everything was happening a little too quickly for us to translate.

When we set off again, I explained to Byrony what had just happened, and he took it well. Then I looked at Misty. "Misty, just because I have a Spinarak on my back doesn't mean you have to avoid me."

"Who's avoiding you?" Misty asked...from her hiding place on Brock's other side.

Byrony sighed. If I didn't know better, it would seem like he knew what was going on, and was sad about it!

...Or...

"Byrony's pretty sensitive," Safara whispered to me. "Maybe Misty's fear of bugs upsets him."

"Let's hope she gets over it soon, then," I answered, just as quietly.

* * *

After a few more adventures, we got to a series of cliffs. Once there, we ran into a pretty girl named Lisa. Brock went nuts, and she told us about Charicific Valley, inviting us to come see.

I had to shift to my Pokemon form to fit in the basket with Misty and Brock, and Charla, Lisa's Charizard, took us all to the valley. Once there, I explained as I got dressed again, "I'm a hybrid, and so are my team. I'm betting that there are a few Charizard-hybrids hiding out here."

"Hm. Maybe."

Finally, Ash got here on his Charizard...and they were running instead of flying.

And Lisa commented that only weak Charizard showed off.

Ash was definitely taking offense to some idiotic things. I looked at him. "True...I thought before when I found you had a Charizard that it would be a close match between him and a hybrid with the same attacks. Now, though...I'm not sure it would even be that close." I addded as an aside to Lisa, "Pit a hybrid against a Pokemon of the same species with the same attacks, and the hybrid would win. How close the match is determines how strong the Pokemon is."

"Oh."

Ash ended up challenging Charla to a battle, and Lisa effectively said no. Then he challenged any Charizard in the valley. That was when we went in.

His first battle against some larger Charizard didn't go well. I had sniffed towards the "little guy" that Lisa had pointed out. For a second, I'd thought it was a hybrid, but no, it was a Pokemon. There were hybrids in there, but I couldn't figure out where.

Then Charizard tried a match against the gentlest one. Still didn't win.

Then he charged in against another Charizard, a really strong one! My nose told me... "That one's a hybrid! Call him off!"

Too late. Still, Ash's Charizard refused to give up. Finally, Lisa said that he could battle Charla.

And what a surprise - she threw him into the lake!

And boy, Charizard was upset. Lisa closed him out, and he didn't get out of the water, he just kept the tip of his tail out and looked at the door, still soaking wet.

"Poor Charizard," Safara commented. She actually kind of likes him.

He stayed there all the rest of the afternoon, and all night.

* * *

Team Rocket attacked in the morning, and Charizard blasted them off.

And Lisa let him back because Charizard had proven he wanted to be great!

Ash effectively told Charizard to stay here, and then he took off running. We all ran after him, but then I hesitated and looked back.

Safara was still standing near Charizard. Then she shifted to her true form and held up her arms. "Can I have a hug before I go, Charizard?"

He looked at her. He didn't hug her, but he did set his claw on her head. Then she breathed an Ember straight up in imitation of Charizard, dropped to all fours, and ran after us.

As we ran, I heard Charizard's Flamethrower farewell.


	18. Hive Badge!

**_Hive Badge!_**

* * *

_**Cor**_

After several crazy adventures, we got to the Azalea City gym. And found out that it was a Bug-style gym. Bugsy, the gym leader, accepted Ash's challenge.

"Each trainer may use three Pokemon."

Byrony got excited with Bugsy's first Pokemon: a Spinarak. Ash chose Cyndaquil, but his flame wouldn't kick in! Ash ended up having to pull it out again, and he started using Chikorita. That worked.

Now if only it would stop embarrassing me by hugging Ash…

* * *

Pokemon Number Two for Bugsy was a Metapod. And it actually won against Chikorita!

Brock's comment about it was that he could use Cyndaquil again… "But I think he's going to use Pikachu."

Called it.

And then it proved to be just as fast – and Pikachu beat Metapod!

* * *

Bugsy's third Pokemon almost scared me: a Scyther! And Pikachu lost against him!

Ash used Cyndaquil again, and finally, his flame kicked in!

"Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!"

And with some clever strategy, the little guy actually won!

* * *

And Ash earned a Hive Badge.

Byrony showed Bugsy what he really was, and the kid was really impressed! I think that helped Byrony's self-esteem.


	19. Spell of the Unown

**_Spell of the Unown_**

* * *

_**Byrony**_

After a great deal of travel where I didn't understand much of what was said, we got to a place called Greenfield. We were asked by an Officer Jenny to save a little girl named Molly, and we agreed.

Then suddenly, an Entei captured Ash's mom!

We had to go into the icy palace to find her.

* * *

While they were chasing after dreams, I ended up separated from Cor and Safara. I wandered alone in the palace, in my true form, trying to find the answer to why this place was acting up.

* * *

After about an hour, I found it: Unown! A lot of them, behind a force field!

I walked carefully over to the field. "_**Excuse me,**_" I asked in Spinarak, figuring they wouldn't understand Hybrid, "_**could you grant me the language of the humans?**_"

One or two turned to look at me. Then they allowed me through the force field and started orbiting me. My head started feeling very strange…which was probably why my horn was glowing. After a few minutes of this, they stopped intentionally orbiting me and went back to…whatever they were doing.

* * *

Just a few minutes later, though, they started going nuts! When I tried to get out from behind the force field, I couldn't!

Suddenly, I saw some familiar faces! "Ash!"

"Byrony? How'd you get in there?"

"Wishful thinking; get me out!"

"You can – " Brock started to say, but Cor ran right over him. "Ask stupid questions later. Byrony's not strong enough to break through that force field himself, so we need to break through from this side."

Pikachu, a Charizard, and the Entei started trying to get through to me. The end result was that the Entei sacrificed itself.

The Unown went back to wherever they'd come from, everything went back to normal, and I ended up falling on Ash's mom. "Are you okay, honey?"

"Yeah…just let me…get my breath back."

"Who are you?" I glanced down at the little girl. She was staring up at me with no fear.

"You must be Molly. I'm Byrony." I started to hold out a hand to her, but hesitated. Misty never liked me in my true form…

I needn't have worried. She caught hold of my hand and shook it.

* * *

As we left (and I shifted back into a Spinarak), Ash asked me, "By the way, how come you can talk now?"

"I asked the Unown to teach me English."

"Huh?"

I rolled my eyes, and smirked at Cor. (If you people are wondering how I can smirk as a Spinarak, well, it's all in the markings.) "Unown are Psychic-types, and among hybrids, they're also known as the Spirits of Language."

He rolled his eyes in turn. "Don't you dare rub it in about my not remembering how I learned English, all right?"

"Why not?"

"**You don't taunt me about my not remembering that detail, and I won't talk about your lack of an aim.** Deal?"

_Well, at least he said that in Hybrid._ "Deal."

"What'd you say?" Brock asked.

"Ain't tellin'."

_Thank you, Cor._

**A/N: If you think this is remarkably scarce in detail, it's because I couldn't get the link to the movie to work. I hope it works for Mewtwo Returns.**


	20. Plain Badge!

Plain Badge!

* * *

**Cor**

Finally, we got to Goldenrod City. The gym was closed until tomorrow, so we went to look around. We ended up running into a girl named Whitney and her Clefairy. She took us into an underground secret passageway and we finally got to someplace called the Goldenrod Galleria.

In the end, we lost Clefairy, and then found Team Rocket – they'd captured Clefairy!

Then we had to get Pikachu back from Team Rocket instead. That didn't last very long, and they were gone.

All at once, Whitney told us that she was the Gym Leader, so we didn't have to wait until tomorrow!

* * *

Round One, Nidorina versus Cyndaquil, and Cyndaquil won!

Round Two was Cyndaquil versus Clefairy, and Clefairy started using Metronome! And the weird end result was that Clefairy forfeited.

The last Pokemon was Miltank, and stronger than Ash thought it would be! Cyndaquil was out!

"I feel sorry for the poor thing," I remarked.

Ash's second Pokemon was Totodile…and was knocked out with one hit.

Pikachu was last, and it still didn't work! Ash lost the match.

On my shoulder, Byrony shrugged. "So just try again. What's the big deal?"

I stared at him. "Were you watching that match? All Ash's current Pokemon were outmatched!"

"Nothing beats strategy. Now that he knows her team, he can start making one."

* * *

The three Ash used were resting in the Pokemon center all night, and felt better in the morning, and so did Ash.

Whitney invited us to visit her Miltank dairy. I was mildly curious, and we all got to try some Miltank milk.

We liked it!

Then Team Rocket came barging through, having stolen a bunch of stuff. Pikachu stopped them, and then Miltank took out their Pokemon, and them!

We got to take care of some Miltank, while learning more about them. I felt a little strange taking care of the ladies, but it was fine.

Team Rocket ended up appearing again to try and steal all the Miltank and Pikachu – during Whitney's training session. Sheesh!

Though this time, their machine seemed to be working. It got Pikachu and Whitney's Miltank!

Ash used some clever strategy, though, and got the machine blasted away!

Soon after that, Ash and Whitney had a rematch, and Ash used the same strategy against her Miltank that he'd used against Team Rocket!

Even more surprising, he won, and won the Plain Badge!

Byrony was projecting a very smug air. "I knew he could do it!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Then we set off again.


	21. Mewtwo Returns!

Mewtwo Returns!

* * *

**Cor-Two**

I stretched between Pikachu-Two and Meowth-Two. Mewtwo was sure that if we didn't live in secret, we wouldn't live in peace.

Which sort of made sense.

**Cor**

After traveling for a while, we found Purity Canyon, and we missed the bus. Still, a girl invited us in out of the rain.

**Cor-Two**

"_**Why did you save the humans?**_"

"_**So that we don't get discovered.**_"

I wasn't so sure that the answer Pikachu-Two got was exactly the true one, and Meowth-Two was just as sure as I was.

**Cor**

Ash was skeptical about Purity River water being as good as the others were saying. I liked it, though, and so did Safara and Byrony.

After our drink, we set off down the river in a canoe. Safara was not very happy with it.

Misty was so scared of the bug-types that she rowed all the way back to the house. Ash decided to go up and over.

**Cor-Two**

"_**We are not of this world,**_" Mewtwo remarked, looking up at some Butterfree. "_**We do not belong here. But then where do we belong?**_"

I scratched at the pants I'd rigged up from Cor's shirt. What had Mewtwo all broody, anyway?

Somehow, though, Meowth-Two got him deciding that he should at least slightly cheer up.

**Cor**

We got some visitors, which was weird since it was midnight. The girl's name was Domino, but I missed what the guy's name was.

Brock…would he ever learn?

Team Rocket showed up. Good grief. And they actually got Pikachu!

"I have to follow Team Rocket, no matter what!" Ash declared.

We started up the mountain, and I was in my true form, as were Safara and Byrony.

Then Team Rocket's balloon, caught by winds, grabbed us by accident, and we were riding around by a rope!

**Cor-Two**

The kids were back – and my original!

"_**Could this be an accident,**_" Mewtwo stated about them, "_**Or is it something…**_**more**_**?**_"

I shrugged. "Who knows? But I think it'd be best if we helped them get back down."

**Cor**

Finally, we got to Pikachu, but Domino proved herself treacherous, and brought the balloon down!

**Cor-Two**

Well, I could see danger coming. But…I could see the point that Pikachu-Two was trying to make.

I finally felt like speaking up. "Original or clone, I'm a hybrid. I wasn't from this world even to begin with."

**Cor**

I was okay, if a little wet. Safara wasn't happy, though, and I had to pull Byrony out of the water, because he never learned how to swim. We got started making a canoe so that we could go retrieve Pikachu from the island.

"You think we'll see anything interesting?"

"I just want to find Pikachu!"

**Cor-Two**

Pikachu-Two got the others revved up into a battle frenzy, and some went off. I stayed with Mewtwo.

"_**Which is more important,**_" Mewtwo asked me, "_**their safety, or their freedom?**_"

"I say freedom. I'm sorry."

* * *

**Cor**

We ended up stuck, bound up in rings, thanks to Double-O-Nine Domino and Team Rocket. Even Byrony couldn't break out!

We were reunited with Pikachu – two of them! And then we got locked up.

* * *

"Cor," Misty asked, "Can't you do something?"

"If I did something, it'd have to be pretty drastic - I don't know that many attacks."

Before I could do anything, though, a black-and-red blur vaulted in. He simply pointed at the bars, and they shattered!

Before anyone could say anything, he snapped, "Come on, we have to help Mewtwo!" Then he ran off again, leaving bloody pawprints.

As we ran, explosions rocked the place.

"What was that?" Ash yelled.

"An Umbreon-hybrid! One with _shia'liin_!"

"What's _shia'liin_?" Meowth asked, jumping onto my shoulder.

"It's a rare Eevee-condition. The loose translation is 'blood ring.'"

* * *

We got to and freed Mewtwo, though that took all the effort he had.

The Umbreon-hybrid, who I suspected was my clone, was bleeding from his red rings with his distress.

When Team Rocket's boss showed up, Misty and Brock stood to hold the line. Ash, Cor-Two and I dragged Mewtwo off to the spring, in hopes that it would heal him.

"_**Why...why are you helping me?**_" Mewtwo asked.

"Well, for one thing, you saved my Pikachu. That's a good reason."

"_**The only one?**_"

"Do you always need a reason to help someone?"

I rolled my eyes.

We got to the spring, and we all threw Mewtwo in.

I glanced at Cor-Two, noting what he was wearing. _So_ that's _where my shirt went._ "When did you evolve?" I asked.

Cor-Two took some calming breaths and then looked at me. "About a month or so ago. Do all Umbreon-hybrids look like this?"

"No. That's something I was born with. It's called Bloodring, and it causes the one contaminated with it to lose control of their element when a very high emotion rages within them. It can happen to any Eeveelution, but it's only visible on the Umbreon." I shrugged. "It mostly happens when an Eevee's parents were both the same species, like Umbreon, and then the Eevee evolves into an Umbreon as well."

"Oh."

"The bleeding rings are a warning that you're coming perilously close to losing control. The fact that you haven't lost control completely is a good sign of your emotional control."

Almost as soon as I finished my explanation, Team Rocket's boss showed up, and after that, so did Mewtwo! "**_You will not defile this place. It does not belong to you any more than _I_ do! This place has given me new life!_**"

And he used all his power to defend it!

He dragged the lake, and us, and all the clones, below the surface. He planned to make us forget about it, but the others overruled him, and he only cleared the memory of those who sought to hurt this place.

* * *

We were given brand-new balloons to leave in.

"_**Thank you all,**_" Mewtwo said to us. "_**I will always remember you.**_"

"And this time, we'll _both_ remember!" Ash retorted.

I asked, "Hey, Cor-Two…"

"Yeah?"

"Do two things for me, will ya?"

"Let's hear them."

"First of all, make sure you always stay with Mewtwo, so that he can at least try to keep your leaky powers under control. You can end up destroying yourself and anything around you if you lose it completely."

"Got it," he set his hand briefly on Mewtwo's shoulder, "and second?"

I grinned. "Change your name. 'Cor-Two' sounds ridiculous!"

"_**If someday you hear my voice,**_" Mewtwo called to us as we all flew our separate ways and Cor-Two laughed, "_**know that it is my spirit, calling across time and space to yours.**_"

_Got it, Mewtwo._

* * *

The next day, we were traveling through a city.

"I almost feel sorry for Cor-Two," Ash said out loud.

"Yeah," Brock added, "having to stay in isolation and never be able to have any emotion." He gave me the most pathetic look. "Does that mean he'll never be able to fall in love?"

I rolled my eyes. "He could end up killing a girl with a kiss, if it came right down to that. _Shia'liin_-affected Eeveelutions practically have to swear off romance, because while they survive, the unfortunate other always dies."

"Now I _really_ feel sorry for him!"

Good grief.

Misty asked me, "Hey, are you going to evolve, too?"

"I might as well. I even know what to."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Since I have Dark-type Bloodring, becoming Umbreon is too dangerous. Getting hold of a stone for the other three would be too difficult. So I'll choose…Espeon!"

* * *

**A/N: I went a little crazy designing that. Still, Cor-Two's condition is going to prove important at the end of the story.**


	22. Searches Over: Deseronto!

Searches Over: Deseronto!

* * *

**Cor**

Safara wouldn't stop batting at my hair the whole time we were walking. Now it was lavender, and she found it very interesting.

It was also very distracting to me. "Safara, would you stop that?"

"Sorry." She retreated under my hair. (Before you ask, I haven't bothered to cut it, and it's about shoulder-length, hence her ease in hiding under it.)

Ash ran off because he smelled something, and I passed him, because I smelled it, too. It was an orchard, according to Ash!

I sniffed again. "The apple smell is strong enough that I can't tell if anything else is here!"

Then we found Pikachu near some apple cores, and an apple fell practically right into his hands!

I sincerely doubted that he'd eaten any, because he was yelling, "_**Look up there! The apple cores fell from up there!**_"

Then a net came from nowhere and caught him!

The girl who'd thrown it called Pikachu her "apple poacher"!

And…Brock started making a fool of himself….again.

Ash got Pikachu's apple, and asked Pikachu to open his mouth as wide as he could.

"Look at those teeth, miss. Pikachu couldn't have made these bite marks!"

She apologized, and Ash agreed that it did look kind of suspicious, thereby letting her off the hook.

* * *

I'm…not sure how to spell her name. Charmain, maybe? Anyway, she ran the orchard all by herself, and it was harvest time. We offered to help.

Then we ended up chasing the thieves!

"Cor," Misty asked, "Aren't you going to shift to your true form? You haven't since you evolved!"

"Um…maybe later." The truth was, I was pretty sure that Misty would consider me adorable in my true form. That was tolerable while I was an Eevee, but...

We spotted a Fearow circling above, in the same direction Pikachu had bolted off!

End result, we found the thieves: a bunch of Pichu!

"I had a friend who was a Pichu."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I wonder if he's anywhere around here."

They tried to drive off the Fearow, but ended up shocking themselves as well as the Fearow.

Pikachu ended up driving it off.

"_**My friends!**_"

Over ran what looked like a taller Pichu at first glance. Then I blinked. It was a hybrid!

And…I felt like an idiot. It was Dess…in a skirt.

"Cor," Misty whispered, as we gave the hungry Pichu some apples and Dess settled down to eat with them, "you didn't mention Deseronto was a girl."

"I'd forgotten."

Pikachu got the Pichu set up as orchard protectors and harvesters! Even Dess was helping a little bit, and she had better control – well, marginally better control – over her electricity than they did.

I…hadn't revealed myself to her yet, mostly because I figured she'd guess eventually.

"Instead of being enemies, Charmain," Ash told her, "You and the Pichu could be partners, just like Pikachu and I are!"

During snack break, Dess wouldn't stop looking at me. She probably suspected.

Then Team Rocket showed up. Good grief! I was wishing I knew a Psychic attack.

Pikachu ended up stuck on their Super Sucker, and they sucked up all his power! Apples were flying past them into their machine!

Then the Pichu blasted Team Rocket, but it didn't work! Then they went right back for more! And they were trying to get to Pikachu!

**Deseronto**

I had to get my Poke-cousin down! I grabbed my Pichu friends up; they climbed onto each other, and caught Pikachu. Then we all blasted into Pikachu, giving back his electricity!

And we blasted those troublemakers away, rescuing the apples as well! I danced in circles with Pikachu.

I don't know what happened, but apparently, the Pichu were going to stay working with the human girl.

Then I smelled something odd about one of those new humans – the one with purple hair and his pink Vulpix friend. Of course it took me this long – with all these fruits around, I couldn't smell anything right off. Come to think of it, those four humans and their friends weren't surprised to see me.

As they left, I ran after them.

The purple-haired one glanced back. "**Hey, Deseronto.**"

For a second, I stopped short. Then, I guessed. "**Cor?**" Only Cor's smell could have changed so drastically that I wouldn't recognize him up front.

"**Yup. Wanna come with?**"

After a moment's hesitation, I waved goodbye to my team and ran up beside him, shifting into my Pokemon form. Just living in that forest wouldn't give me the understanding of this language that I would need living with that human, and Cor knew the language, so I figured traveling with him would give me the knowledge soon enough.

I hopped up onto his shoulder opposite the Vulpix, who had to be Safara, and asked, "**By the way, why's Safara pink?**"

* * *

**A/N: That last line's going to end up a running gag. ^_^ I'd actually forgotten that Deseronto was a girl earlier, because I hadn't looked at my charts recently.**


	23. Fog Badge!

Fog Badge!

* * *

**Cor**

It was chaotic when we ran into Morty, the next gym leader. Ghost Pokemon everywhere! At least with all these ghosts, I was able to help Dess get English learned. I wasn't interested in trying to practice using my psychic powers when I wasn't used to it.

Ash's Noctowl would be his secret weapon against the ghosts.

* * *

Round One was about to begin.

Morty's first Pokemon was Gastly. Ash's first Pokemon was Noctowl!

I didn't think much of Ash's first strategy; he had to switch out. Pikachu was Ash's second Pokemon, but he only landed one good hit before he got knocked out by a Night Shade!

His third Pokemon was Cyndaquil. That actually worked, and bested Gastly!

I figured I knew what Morty would use next.

Round Two was Morty's Haunter; I called it. Mean Look kept Cyndaquil from switching out, but he still did pretty well…

Haunter still won. Noctowl was up again.

I was pretty impressed with Noctowl – I don't see that many shiny hybrids, and one finds shiny Pokemon more often than hybrids. Plus, he learned a new attack in the middle of the battle and beat Haunter!

Round Three was Gengar. Naturally, it was a tough match.

Finally, the match was over, with Noctowl as the winner!

Ash earned his Fog Badge!

I was just glad that we hadn't seen Team Rocket today; Dess doesn't like Jessie, purely because of the similar nicknames.

* * *

As we started walking again, Dess hopped over to Misty's shoulder.

"Hey, Dess," I asked, "you mind getting in a ball? We really ought to only have one hybrid visible at a time, and Byrony's got a ball of his own." He does, too; I borrowed one from Ash, so that Byrony didn't have to always be hanging onto my back and unnerving Misty.

"If that's the case," she retorted, "then why'd you let _me_ stay out so long?"

"Because you didn't speak English."

"Oh." She thought about that. "You're leaving Safara out?"

"Um…" I looked at Safara. She looked back at me.

"You can put me in a ball," the pink Vulpix finally said to me. "I won't mind."

"Yeah…and your color's enough different that I'd rather you weren't out all the time, begging someone to steal you." I looked at Ash. "Hey, can I borrow another ball?"

"Sure," he tossed one to me, and I put Safara into it. Then I shoved it into my pocket and Dess hopped over to my shoulder again.

_I wonder what will happen by the time I have seven friends with me._


	24. Photo Op, Articuno!

Photo Op, Articuno!

* * *

**Cor**

After traveling for some time, we ended up walking through a pretty secluded place, leaving me feeling free to have Safara on my shoulder.

As it started getting dark, we suddenly started hearing some clicking sounds. Brock called it a camera shutter.

Looking past some bushes, we spotted a kid with brown hair, pointing an odd machine at some Bellossom! Ash called him Todd!

The kid ended up taking a couple pictures of Ash and Pikachu as they fell over going through the bushes.

Ash introduced me and Safara to him, and he immediately raised his camera thing again. "A pink Vulpix?"

"Yeah…could you not let that one get to the newspapers?" Then my team and I let him take some pictures of us in our true forms. Byrony was a little camera-shy, but he allowed him.

Oh yeah – true to my expectations, Todd got a picture of my embarrassment when Misty called my true form cute.

Todd wanted to take a picture of an Articuno. Then a frozen Sunkern crashed right in our midst – nearly hitting Todd!

We took it to an old lodge, where an old lady helped us thaw it out. My team shifted to their true forms again.

Then the old lady told us the story of Sunflora Lodge, and it wasn't quite true. Apparently, she likes telling whoppers.

Sunflora always came by the south slope every year, and the old couple had their pictures taken with the Sunflora each year since they were married. This year, though, the Sunflora were gone. We went up there anyway. The old lady told us another whopper.

* * *

Then we saw what was causing the snow: Team Rocket!

"Can I shock her," Dess growled into my ear, "please?"

All Todd seemed interested in was taking pictures of Jessie's Wobbuffet. And then the old lady told another whopper, which we didn't believe, right before we were buried in snow.

Then Pikachu got grabbed by Arbok!

Sunkern saved the day with Sunny Day! The sun started shining, the snow melted, and Bulbasaur could use Solar Beam to destroy the machine! Pikachu and Deseronto blasted them off together!

Ash evolved the Sunkern into Sunflora, and then it called the other Sunflora back!

Todd took the picture, and caught a glimpse of something that looked like an Articuno!

After that, we set off again.

* * *

It wasn't long before we started through some rocky terrain, and stopped for lunch.

"By the way, Cor," Todd asked me. "Are you really on a journey to find your shipmates?"

"Yeah, we all got scattered. I had to look for a whole year just to find Dess and Byrony."

"I see."

Then some Swinub came to visit, and took a rice ball from Misty. Well, to be more specific, one spooked her into dropping it, and then they started eating it.

I sniffed. "They're trained! They smell like humans…kind of."

A little girl came over and introduced herself and the Swinub. Her name was Peggy, and the Swinub belonged to her dad.

* * *

Apparently, they try to find hot springs for resorts. However, the Swinub were having trouble finding hot springs.

Then Team Rocket showed up, offering to help while disguised as diggers. We tried to help as well, but every single try was dead.

Team Rocket swiped the Swinub next and just ran off after quoting their motto. Ash and Peggy's dad went into a trap, and then we all went surfing in boxes to chase after Team Rocket!

It worked until we landed in some oil. Then we crashed.

Still, we were determined to catch Team Rocket.

Noctowl spotted Team Rocket for us, and we picked up our pace.

* * *

Finally, we caught up with them, and started battling!

When we released the Swinub, they started battling Team Rocket!

Finally, we blasted them off. And after the battle, the Swinub actually found a hot spring!

Then we set off again, with Todd's camera filled with Swinub pictures and Todd's brain set on finding the Articuno at the tallest mountain in our view.

* * *

When we found the mountain, we found a bunch of snow.

"Brr!" I shivered, growing my fur again. It didn't help; my Espeon-fur was finer than my Eevee-fur. "I'm not used to it being so cold."

We found a Jigglypuff frozen in ice, and I laid a bet with myself that it was the same Jigglypuff that followed us from the Orange Islands.

Cyndaquil unfroze it, and we learned where the Articuno was. We walked into a Pokemon Center that was at the base of the mountain.

We learned about how Articuno was a rescuer of lost travelers, and that there were lots of legends about it.

"There are some hybrid legends about it, too," I chimed in. "All the legends describe it as a goddess."

"Wow!" Brock stared into space. "I'd like to meet that!"

Then I sensed something, and Team Rocket was dropped at our feet!

We had to chase after Todd, who was frantic to spot Articuno again.

Then we spotted Articuno, and it warned us against walking over a cliff! Soon after that, Team Rocket showed up again with plans to steal Articuno!

I had to chase after Ash and Todd again, and Articuno kept all of us from landing too hard.

Team Rocket crashed near us, and Articuno had to play tag with them and blast them off!

Finally, Todd got his picture of Articuno in all its majesty. Then Misty, Brock and Officer Jenny came back to find us.

Back at the Pokemon center, Todd told us that he was going to stay there. "Good luck in the Johto League, Ash! And Cor, good luck finding your friends."

"Good luck with your pictures!" Ash answered, while I just waved as we set off again towards the next gym.

* * *

**A/N: A three-episode chapter, finally up.**


	25. Double Evolution!

Double Evolution!

* * *

**Deseronto**

We'd stopped by a river for lunch, and then Golbat heard something and went rushing off to find it. We chased after him, and found a lady with a broken machine.

* * *

Brock helped her work on fixing it, while she explained about her research. Apparently, she'd discovered some info on a queen who could control Pokemon with just a gold mask and staff.

"Hey, Cor," Misty looked at my purple-haired friend, "is there anything like that, um, where you came from?"

By the sigh he made right next to my big ear, he apparently got that sort of question a lot since coming here. "Not that I ever heard."

* * *

Well, with Golbat's Supersonic, we were able to find the queen's secret temple. Then Brock's Geodude started digging down to the temple. Once we got underground, we ended up digging to the temple, and found Team Rocket! And Jessie had the mask and staff!

Then Pikachu got zapped by the staff, and Jessie made him zap Ash!

Of course, then Jessie caught practically all of Brock's Pokemon, and they got away with Pikachu!

Geodude was still here, but Brock wanted to find Golbat, who was buried under the rubble.

I twitched my ears, trying to listen. Then we found Golbat and started out, trying to outrun the cave-in. When we got to the surface, we found that Team Rocket's mask wouldn't work outside the area!

Then I jumped onto Golbat's back, and we set off after Team Rocket's flying machine.

_We've gotta stop Team Rocket. We've gotta stop Team Rocket!_

Golbat and I ended up evolving at the exact same time, and we sent Team Rocket blasting off!

* * *

Then Brock made a fool of himself in front of the girl, and we set off again.

"Hey," Ash grinned at me, "it's cool that you evolved! What do you look like now?"

I hopped down from Cor's shoulder. "I'm curious about that, myself." I shifted back to my true form and, while walking, studied myself.

My ears, instead of being flat, were rounded and twitched up and down easier, I had fingers instead of my old mitten-style hands, and my tail was longer, with more kinks and a notch out of the end. Plus, I was taller now than I was as a Pichu…a little, anyway.

"_**Wow!**_" Pikachu said. "_**So that's what a Pikachu-hybrid looks like!**_"

I grinned at him. "Yup, that's what a Pikachu-hybrid looks like!"

* * *

**A/N: Probably the main reason Dess evolved right then was because she knew that she couldn't use her electricity very well as a Pichu, and she was determined not to let Team Rocket get away. She hates Jessie, anyway, because of the similar names. Dess's sheer emotion, and the fact that she wanted to evolve, did it.**


	26. The Voice of the Forest

The Voice of the Forest

* * *

**Cor**

"You know, it's a good thing Dess is a girl," Ash remarked, pointing to her notched tail as we walked, "otherwise we'd have a hard time telling her apart from my Pikachu!"

* * *

After walking for some time, we got to a ferry that would take us to the next town. However, Ash got himself so involved in a battle that he almost missed it. He had to be dragged onto the boat.

We ended up calling the professor about a Pokemon Ash saw while on the ferry – Suicune! Then we set off again on another boat to visit a village – a boat that could fly! Even I'd never seen something like this!

When we got to the village, it just about felt like home: all the houses were in trees!

We were warned about the voice of the forest, told to stand perfectly still if we heard it.

* * *

"I wonder what that's all about," I asked randomly as we went in. Then I heard something, as did everyone else, and a strange light started shining!

When we found the source, there was a boy laying there unconscious!

We brought him back out of the forest, and he freaked out briefly. Apparently, this was a boy who'd vanished forty years ago!

As soon as I heard that he'd crossed time, I thought of the forest guardian. I also felt that he smelled familiar for some reason.

We all set out to find Celebi, after introducing ourselves. His name was Sammy.

* * *

When we found a Pokemon gathering, we climbed up to find Celebi.

It took her a minute to calm down enough for the humans to touch it. Then we ran past Team Rocket and found a gigantic machine! The guy with the machine released a Tyranitar and we ended up having to run!

And…we ended up having to fight a Scizor and a Sneasel. Correction: Ash's Bayleef and Sammy's Charmeleon did all the work.

Finally, some wild Pokemon guided us to the lake. "Those Pokemon just point-blank smelled wrong," I commented. "The ones that followed us, and that guy's Tyranitar."

Sammy took Celebi right into the lake and let it in. And the lake healed it!

She was so happy, that she invited us to play! I morphed to my true form and followed Sammy and Ash, and when we needed to go up for air, she took us flying!

* * *

I was amazed that Sammy took so long to ask about my look. As it was, it took until we quit playing at the lake for him to mention it.

"Hey, Cor," he commented, "I've never seen anything like you before."

"I'm a hybrid," I shrugged. "So are my team." I released them, and they all returned to their true forms.

"Why's your Vulpix – I mean, Safara – why's she pink?"

She groaned and covered her face.

"Uh…let's just say, some strange berries changed her color."

"Oh."

* * *

The next day, that guy came back, and actually succeeded in catching Celebi!

Then he used Celebi against us! The ball he used turned her evil!

* * *

It took a lot of hard work, and some divine intervention from Suicune, but we finally got Celebi to break herself free of the darkness.

That took too much out of her, though.

Putting her in the water, even after Suicune cleaned the lake, didn't seem to work. Celebi was dying!

It wasn't until many tears were shed, and more Celebi came that this one was healed. And then, we had to take down that weird masked guy. Ash and Pikachu did that, and Celebi saved them from a hard fall. Then Suicune left, and Celebi took Sammy back to his own time.

* * *

It took me until after another call was made to Professor Oak to figure out why Sammy smelled familiar: they were the same person!

_Am I going to tell Ash? …Nah. It's not important._

_Though it does explain how the professor wasn't very surprised to learn about me._

* * *

**A/N: A late-night movie. Go easy on me.**


	27. Storm Badge!

Storm Badge!

* * *

**Cor**

Finally, after several adventures, we made it to Olivine City. At least…I think it's spelled Olivine.

Ash ran off to find the gym that was in the city. The voice that came from inside, though, sounded like Safara's in age.

We got to the arena inside the gym, and the girl…I missed her name…used an awfully shiny Onix that just smelled weird, while Ash used Totodile.

The water attacks wouldn't work, and practically as soon as Ash chose Pikachu, a woman came in and stopped the match, calling it, um…unofficial. (I can't remember her word.)

Jemina, that's it. The real Gym Leader, Jasmine, took her off for some talking-to.

Ash couldn't figure out why his water attacks wouldn't work. Misty looked at me. "Do you think it was a hybrid?"

"Even hybrids can't stand a type they're weak to for long. Look at Safara."

She came back later and apologized for her apprentice. She also said she wasn't physically or emotionally ready for a gym battle. Apparently…something was up.

We left, and found Jimena scrubbing her Onix with a broom. Apparently she was getting water-repellent wax off it.

"_That's_ why it smelled so odd," I commented. "I've never smelled wax before, or I'd have guessed sooner."

She explained how she wanted to overcome Onix's weakness, and Brock told her, "You shouldn't be trying to overcome its weakness; you have to encourage its natural strengths."

Then Ash asked her where Jasmine was, and she told us, "She's probably down at the Shining Lighthouse."

Ash went rushing off, and we ran after him.

* * *

We found the lighthouse, and went in. Near the top, we found an Ampharos. Its name was Sparkle.

Most of what Jasmine and her grandfather said went past me. What did get through was that Sparkle wasn't feeling well, and she needed a rare medicine that was now ready. Ash volunteered to go get it, that figures.

Then Team Rocket showed up! Good _grief_!

After their idiotic motto, they finally told us, "We're taking the Ampharos!"

They fired a missile into the lighthouse, and Weezing came out! Deseronto and I both covered our noses, and we ran downstairs.

Then Team Rocket caught Brock and Ampharos in a cage!

They started racing off, and were stopped by little Jimena!

She freed Brock and Ampharos, and Dess and Pikachu both blasted Team Rocket off!

Jasmine accepted Jimena back into the gym, and she sent the girl for the medicine. We went to that boat, too, to get to the Cyanwood City Gym!

* * *

We got to Cyanwood City, and Jimena got her friend's medicine. She set off on an express ferry, and we basically said that we'd catch up with her after Ash got his next badge.

Practically as soon as we saw her off, we spotted a human sparring with a Machoke!

Evidently…humans couldn't hold up well under attacks, but this was a…weird development. They were all excited about the Submission attack that we saw last.

Then… "Hey, twerp! You in the hat!"

Well, Ash was the only one of us wearing a hat.

He basically got us all marching to the gym. I held up better than the others did, and he…Chuck, was the gym leader!

* * *

…At mealtime, he gave _Pikachu_ a helping the same size as _Ash's_, and it was _still_ awfully full even for the human!

I whispered to Dess, "Don't try to match Chuck's fast pace, or you'll end up equally fat."

"Fair enough," she answered, and instead ate slowly.

At the end, even _I_ was full, and I've got a fairly high metabolism!

* * *

It was practically right after the meal that the battle took place. It would be a two-on-two match. First round was between Pikachu and Poliwrath. Pikachu was winning at first, but then Poliwrath got a comeback!

Ash's second Pokemon was Bayleef. He'd make it on fine with Poliwrath, but I wondered about how it would hold together with Machoke.

It didn't take too long for Poliwrath to go down. Then both Machoke and Bayleef started on getting psyched up for the battle: Machoke Karate Chopping on Chuck, and Bayleef trying a Body Slam on Ash.

The battle started. Bayleef's long neck allowed for decent dodging for a while. Then it became a tug of war on Bayleef's vines.

Brock gave some helpful advice…which was ignored…

And Bayleef ended up winning!

Ash received a Storm Badge from Chuck, and after Ash's victory dance, we called Jemina.

Sparkle was feeling better, but the battle would still have to wait for another time.

We were suggested to go visit the Whirl Islands while we waited.

* * *

The next day, we were waved off by Chuck, his Machoke and his wife.

"I bet there are lots of cute Water Pokemon out there," Misty stated.

"I bet there are lots of cute girls waiting for me," Brock added.

"I wonder if any of my friends landed there," I asked the sky.

Dess patted my head from her vantage point of my shoulder.

* * *

**A/N: Slowly but surely working through the seasons. This is the end of Season 4.**


	28. Into the Whirl Cup!

Into the Whirl Cup!

* * *

**Deseronto**

Ash was hyped up about his fifth badge, and Misty was hyped about the Water Pokemon. I was sitting next to Pikachu on the railing of the ship when Brock spotted whirlpools ahead!

Then Team Rocket – dressed in costume, I could smell their true selves – tried to swipe Pikachu! And a Counter sent an explosion and us into the water – and towards a whirlpool!

Our friends' Water Pokemon was only barely helping, and then I heard something! Something underwater had saved us, and then a Corsola directed a Tentacruel into rescuing us for real!

Ash and the others recognized him as Professor Elm! ...Whoever that was.

We got to our first spot, Bluepoint Isle. And Professor Elm mentioned the Whirl Cup, a Water Pokemon competition. Misty was all fired up about getting involved in that competition – that figures, she's a _sprialou_.

Ash and Misty both signed up, and Brock described all our goals to the ship captain. Cor was more interested in sniffing about. Ash told Elm about the shadow underwater.

Cor suddenly remarked, "It looked like…"

But Team Rocket showed up, interrupting him, and capturing all the Water Pokemon from the Pokemon Center!

We made chase, and Misty used Staryu against Jessie's Arbok. Then Pikachu got caught, too!

Psyduck released himself and charged off the boat, trying to help. But landing in the water made him forget everything Cor had taught him about swimming, and my friend had to recall him.

Corsola charged in, and I leaped onto its back, riding like it was a board on the waves. One tackle from it, and their Pokemon got hammered!

Then, after a Spike Cannon, all the Pokemon got freed and blasted off!

I reached down and pulled Pikachu up.

* * *

That night, we called Professor Oak to tell him where we were.

The next day we set off again, this time to get to Bluefinland and find a ferry.

**Cor**

Misty wanted to get to a place called Pudgy Pidgey Isle, because that's where some Corsola were going. A local told us that only Corsola could get to Pudgy Pidgey Isle in whirlpool season.

"My kingdom for some wings!" Misty sighed.

The local, a caretaker, got us to the isle.

Every single Pidgey was huge, and really, really fat! Only one little Pidgey, Orville, could fly. A painting on the wall in his cabin showed Pidgey flying towards the lights of the sky. The boy told us Orville's story.

"Hey, Cor," Ash asked, "do you think any of the Pidgey here are hybrids?"

"Uh…I didn't really know any Pidgey, so I can't tell you for sure. Besides, my evolution style is hardly what you'd call normal even among hybrids. Byrony's the one to ask about hybrid likelihood among these guys." With that, I released Byrony onto my shoulder.

Misty cringed, but Byrony, who evidently had been listening to the conversation, explained, "Well, the only way a Pidgey-hybrid can be here is if it's from a more recent shuttle than ours, if it was extremely young when it came here the year before us, or if it came here a long time ago and refused to evolve."

"A hybrid can refuse to evolve?" Ash asked.

He looked at Ash and answered, "Your Bulbasaur chose not to evolve. It's the same with hybrids. It's just a tad harder for us age-evolvers to choose whether or not to evolve, because it always happens on a birthday, so most hybrids don't bother trying not to evolve."

"What a present," Brock remarked.

Team Rocket came through the door right around the time Orville's dream was named. They were going to help us measure how high Orville could fly.

Personally, I was inclined to doubt how long their goodwill would last. Especially since I could hear their plans to try to steal both Orville and Pikachu – I've got sharp ears, huh?

* * *

The next day, we set off in the balloon, tracking Orville's height.

Then he shot past Spearow, and a Fearow, too. Pikachu blasted the Fearow so that it couldn't catch Orville. I returned to my true form, which used less oxygen, but when Team Rocket finally revealed themselves, Pikachu and even we hybrids were getting light-headed. Ash and the humans had oxygen masks, so they were fine, and they started sharing their masks with us and the Pokemon.

We had to stop going higher, but Orville kept going up. I could imagine how cold he was getting.

Then Orville came down, straight into the balloon, and he wasn't doing so well. Meowth gave him some oxygen from Jessie's mask, and Pikachu gave him a Thundershock, and that revived him.

Of course, then the balloon started falling, and the pudgy Pidgey kept us from hitting the ground too hard.

Team Rocket got blasted off on one of their rockets, and I got a good laugh out of watching the pudgy Pidgey trying to fly. They'd been reminded that they had wings!

* * *

Then we set off again for Bluefinland. Or…tried to. We ended up stopping at Blue Lagoon instead.

Once there, Misty yelled at Ash a little, and Ash said that he'd get us out of this situation of being stuck on top of a mountain. Then we saw a Chinchou!

A boy came over, saying that it was his, and it ended up shocking Ash.

He was fine – he's used to getting zapped.

His name was Daten, and he invited us to see the Parade of the Chinchou.

Apparently, Chinchou laid their eggs in the Blue Lagoon, and when they got old enough, they went down the side of the mountain back to the ocean. It sounded like something I'd heard from a Vaporeon brother of mine, though I didn't know any Chinchou personally.

* * *

Daten's dad said it was okay if we came along. The light that started was beautiful, and Bright the boy's Chinchou called them off on the parade.

We followed along behind. After a certain point, they got past a bridge and spotted Team Rocket!

"Dess…" I sighed as they quoted their motto, "could you zap them, please?"

Instead, most of them had enough time to turn around and run back across the bridge. But then their capture missile caught the bridge!

Chinchou and Pikachu blasted them off, and we each set off on either side of the ravine: Brock, Misty and Daten's dad on one side, and Brian, Ash and me on the other.

* * *

When it got dark, they all got too dry. Ash released Totodile, and managed to keep him from attacking and instead get the Chinchou soaked.

Then we lost Daten off the cliff!

I released Byrony. "We'll need you to return to your true form and go down the cliff after our friend."

We ended up following the Chinchou down the cliff to Daten again, and we walked through fog to get to the sea in the morning. Misty and the rest were already there.

Then all the Chinchou were caught in a hole by Team Rocket! They left with the Chinchou in a cage!

Pikachu couldn't aim, until the Chinchou started their lights blinking. Then the Chinchou freed themselves with a Thunder Wave, and every Spark-Pokemon blasted Team Rocket away!

All the Chinchou swam away, letting their lights flash in goodbye.

* * *

We finally set off on another boat towards Yellow Rock Island, and had to keep Misty from diving off to catch a Corsola. Good grief.

* * *

**A/N: Episodes 1 through 3 from Pokemon Master Quest take credit. Oh - and that word that Dess used to describe Misty? It's loosest translation is "individual who loves the element of Water".**


	29. Off to the Whirl Cup!

_**Off to the Whirl Cup!**_

* * *

**Cor**

We finally made it to Yellow Rock Isle. Every rock around was yellow, including the streets!

Misty was drawn to some statues at a shop. Dess leaned over and sniffed at them. "They smell…familiar…kind of."

"Like you've smelled the Pokemon before, or like it came from a hybrid?"

"The first."

It was made from Corsola horn. Dess, Pikachu and Psyduck got complimented on being yellow, and then Psyduck ran off!

We found him pointing at a house floating away! He was yelling about how they were in trouble!

"Well, I'll say this much for Psyduck," I commented, "he's got a well-developed sense of when someone's in danger."

It was Ash's Grass-types that rescued the house from a whirlpool, and our boat pulled the thing to safety on the beach.

I gave credit to Psyduck, and then we were informed what had happened. They lived on top of a Corsola nest. And then the Corsola all left, thanks to a very active-almost-aggressive one, and the foundation was weakened enough to wash the house away.

Ash immediately volunteered to help get the Corsola back. Brock agreed, thanks to there being a pretty girl explaining this, and I shrugged it off. "Well, why not? It's not like we're in a hurry."

I did mention my friends, but before I could explain, Team Rocket ran up the path with a bunch of Corsola treasure!

It didn't take long before they were blasted off by Water power.

* * *

I started calling out names for the Corsola as well when we were looking. So far, we'd only found two. Then we found two more.

Ash's Noctowl spotted two more, and when they were counted, we found all of them.

Then we had to drive Team Rocket away again. Sheesh.

Although, it took Noctowl a little while to bring the balloon down. Then Misty had her own stardom with Staryu.

That battle took some time. But when the Corsola started using Spike Cannon all at once…

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!"

Then Misty got into a battle with the wild Corsola. She used Poliwhirl, and that took a few rounds, which included one Recover from the Corsola, but finally, she wore Corsola down enough to catch, and she managed to catch it.

We went off again, with Misty promising to take care of the Corsola.

"By the way, Cor," Misty asked, "is it because you want to have a family here that you're looking for your shipmates?"

"Uh…actually, it's because technically, we weren't supposed to split up until we'd all learned the language of the planet, so we need to get together and remedy the lack of knowledge. That's all."

"Oh."

"And, Misty…could I see that guy for a minute? The Corsola, I mean?"

"Oh, sure." She gave me the Lure Ball and asked, "Why?"

"It's just that…" I released the Corsola, "last time I checked, no Corsola was ever that strong. It was a pet peeve of all Corsola-hybrids." Bending over, I sniffed at it.

My guess was confirmed. "Bingo! It's not a hybrid, but I'd bet my own money on one of its parents being a hybrid! That manifests in so many ways that I've always been half-sure that Pikachu's part hybrid, Ash!"

"Really?" Ash stared at Pikachu.

"Yup!" Then I gave the ball back to Misty, and we kept going.

* * *

The next day, we ended up running to try to catch the ferry that would take us to Red Rock Isle. I probably could have made it easy, if I went to my true form, but there were two things holding me back. One, I didn't want to leave my friends behind when I wasn't even part of the Whirl Cup, and two, I didn't want to cause a commotion. I was still shorter than Ash in my true form, but my ears and tail, not to mention the purple fur, were quite enough to get some stares.

Of course, the boat ended up leaving without us and we had to try to catch it while it was sailing.

We didn't make it, and we found out that the ferry only ran once a day.

Then a girl named Luka came by and offered to give us a lift in her boat. Brock went gaga for her.

Climbing on board, we saw a bunch of sea equipment and an old map. It was a map to a ship of her great-grandfather's. It had a clue called a Silver Wing.

Ash and Brock, along with Pikachu and myself, were interested in helping her find it.

* * *

When we found the spot, Luka, Ash and I went down, with breathing gear and Magikarp. We spotted the ship and went down to it, stopping a little ways away to watch the ship and let the Magikarp swim over. We saw a Mantine swimming around and it spooked the Magikarp away!

* * *

We discussed what to do, and decided to have the Electric types come with us the next time, to help distract the Mantine while we searched for the Silver Wing.

"Dess…don't shift while wearing that stuff, or you'll run out of air." I felt justified in giving her that warning, because she was using her Pokemon form. I'd already told Luka that we were hybrids.

Pikachu was adorable with the equipment. We splashed in again, and I stayed with Luka while Dess went with Pikachu. We ran into Remoraid while Ash was getting chased by the Mantine. We had to retreat.

* * *

We went down a third time with Water Pokemon, and found Team Rocket distracting the Mantine and a few of the Remoraid.

We found a bunch of baby Remoraid.

"Those two out there must be their parents!" Misty guessed.

"Yeah, but why's _Mantine_ helping them?" Ash asked.

I shrugged. "On my planet, Mantine always hang out with Remoraid. They're best pals, _always._"

"_**Always?**_" Pikachu asked.

I nodded.

A crash into the boat, and the baby Remoraid scattered, leaving a chest. Luka picked it up, and we saw what had caused the crash: Team Rocket's submarine! They swiped our treasure, and almost got away with the Mantine! But the Remoraid shot down the cable they'd grabbed Mantine with!

The Water Pokemon tore apart the net that had grabbed the fighting pair, but then Team Rocket ran off!

Mantine wanted to help us out! Ash and Pikachu rode on Mantine, and then Pikachu gave them the shock of their life, blasting them off!

And with Mantine flying, Ash caught the treasure chest!

On the boat again, we said goodbye to the Mantine and Remoraid, and then opened the chest. Inside was a silver item that looked like a wing!

* * *

The next morning, we got to Red Rock Isle, _finally_!


	30. What a Show!

**_What a Show!_**

* * *

**Cor**

We finally made it to Scarlet City. Banners were flying everywhere, and Ash and Misty were jazzed about it!

When we got to the Pokemon Center, the line was extremely long. We finally got to the front of the line, and Ash and Misty were entered. Two wins were needed to make it in. Then a kid asked if we'd battle his Remoraid so that it would evolve. Misty took him up on it, and it was Remoraid versus Corsola!

I missed the kid's name, but the Remoraid ended up winning and evolved to Octillery!

We parted ways in the evening. Then Ash and the others were sitting up watching the moon, while I went to sleep.

* * *

The next day, the Whirl Cup preliminaries were up! I watched Ash win his matches, and Dess watched Misty win hers.

When we were talking at the Pokemon Center, suddenly, we saw Marcila…I think it was his name…he'd lost. We were invited to dinner, and when we got there, wwe saw tanks of Remoraid everywhere!

Then he showed us why none of them were evolving: the Remoraid were avoiding the Octillery, and attacking it!

The Octillery was so lonely and sad…and Misty's idea of dressing Ash up like an Octillery didn't seem to work pretty well.

I sighed and covered my face. "Actually, when a Remoraid-hybrid evolves to Octillery, it leaves the school. It's just that normally, they see the evolution, so yes, they know who he was."

* * *

We heard something over dinner, and found it was Team Rocket stealing all the Remoraid!

I glanced around. "Uh…where's Octillery?"

I saw him get onto the bottom of Team Rocket's truck right before a smokescreen hid their escape.

We ended up following a trail of splashed water to the biggest chaotic battle ever, where Octillery was smacking Team Rocket around and freeing the Remoraid into the water! But while Octillery was being held by a crane, Pikachu couldn't do anything!

The Remoraid freed Octillery, and kept him from a hard hit on the water! Then Pikachu and Dess blasted Team Rocket with Thundershocks, and Octillery used Octazooka to blast them off!

And then all the Remoraid evolved at once!

"Well, that saves the trouble of getting a tank to get them home!" I laughed.

* * *

The next day, we saw the Whirl Cup battlefield in all its glory!

I was almost wishing I had a Water Pokemon so I could sign up for the Whirl Cup – but wait, the signups are done for this time around. Maybe I'll sign up for something else later.

Brock was falling for Maya, the Sea Princess. Good grief.

I tuned her out, for the most part. Though her staff evidently had a sea spirit in its orb!

Then Brock reminded Ash that he needed another Water Pokemon. Calling Professor Oak, Ash had to pick which Pokemon he'd send back in order to get his Kingler.

Professor Oak suggested to Ash that he send his Bayleef, and then he received his Kingler.

Ash lined up in Round Six, and he picked Totodile. His opponent chose…Kingdra!

Totodile started by going underwater, but Kingdra made a whirlpool with Twister and caught it up and was dizzy! Still, he managed to dodge a Water Gun, and then danced on a Hydro Pump. A Smokescreen hid Kingdra from Totodile, and everything went down in a crazy moment where Kingdra ended up blasting around everywhere with his own Hydro Pump!

And Totodile did a victory dance.

* * *

The next day, we got to watch Misty's match. Her opponent used Qwilfish. She used Corsola.

Water Gun got reflected by Mirror Coat, and the Qwilfish was a little rattled. Then Qwilfish started swallowing water so that it could blast out a Pin Missile! Spike Cannon met Pin Missile, and Corsola took a hit. After another few hits, Qwilfish got stuck in Corsola's horns!

"That's new," Brock commented.

Then Corsola started swimming around and around, trying to get Qwilfish off. I was trying not to laugh – it was like a comedy routine back home!

Then Misty called for Spike Cannon, and that won the battle.

That evening, we were talking about the results, and we went to see the shuffled match-ups for the next round. Ash and Misty ended up set to battle each other!

"Hoo boy," I said softly. "This will prove difficult."

* * *

Some inner prompting had me put Psyduck back into Misty's bag before the match.

Now, I watched from the stands. Ash chose Totodile, and Misty chose Poliwhirl. Totodile quickly ended up in trouble, and Poliwhirl took the first round.

His next choice was Kingler, which was his only choice left. Misty stayed with Poliwhirl, which ultimately won that round for Ash.

Then Psyduck released himself!

"When did Cor give Psyduck back?" I heard Misty ask.

Kingler used Vicegrip on Psyduck's…head! And then Psyduck ended up using Confusion, blasting Kingler right into Ash! That won the match for Misty!

"Well…I wasn't quite expecting that," I remarked. "Psyduck's still not that good at swimming, but he's still a fairly decent guy."

* * *

Misty ended up yelling at me for that later, as Ash reunited with Bayleef. "Why'd you give Psyduck back to me?"

"He needed a chance to try himself out in a battle. I'm kind of hoping that victory improves his confidence."

"Oh."

Then Misty's opponent for tomorrow came to wish her luck. Brock was going gaga for her, and I missed her name.

* * *

Her name was Trinity, and her first Pokemon in the match was Gyarados! Misty used Poliwhirl again, and that match…went badly. Gyarados whipped Poliwhirl, and Misty's last Pokemon was Corsola. That match was better, and Corsola even managed to pull a win!

Trinity's second Pokemon was a Chinchou! This looked bad right from the start with the Electric-type. Confuse Ray ended up hitting, and then Corsola lost.

That night, Trinity called it a good match as Misty's Pokemon were healing.

* * *

The next day, we chose to root for Trinity, and then Team Rocket came to disrupt the match and steal the prize. Not that it worked: four Water Guns blasted them, and then Dess and Pikachu sent Thundershocks after them.

Trinity started battling again when they were gone.

It wasn't Trinity who won, but the closing ceremony left me nostalgic, thinking of ceremonies at home.

* * *

The next day, we were staring out at the arena in reminiscence. I stretched. "Well, I suppose it's back to the Johto League."

"Oh, and Cor?"

"Hm?"

Misty threw a Poke Ball at me. "Go on and keep Psyduck - he's useless!"

I caught the thing before it hit my face and studied it. _Poor Psyduck; what's got him with such a block on intentionally being great?_

* * *

**A/N: There will be a chapter before the end of the Johto League where Cor finds out my guess on the answer to that.**


	31. A Mysterious Pokemon

**_A Mysterious Pokemon_**

* * *

**Cor**

We went to SilverRock Isle to try to find more clues on the mysterious Pokemon. There were references to the Silver Wing everywhere.

A jewelry-seller waylaid us, trying to foist his wares on us. A pretty girl (emphasis on "pretty girl") came over, snapped one of his pieces in half, and hinted that she'd call the police on him.

"How could you tell it was a fake from so far away?" Ash asked.

"Real Silver Rock Stone has a beautiful silver shine, and wouldn't break in half!" She took off her own pin and tried to break it in front of us. "See?"

It was an old one, too, without a full wing on one side! Though it looked like it was made like that, not like it had been broken.

I suspected that only a hybrid could break Silver Rock stone, but I wasn't going to try.

Her name was…Arianne, I think. Brock proceeded to make a fool out of himself.

She was able to give us directions to an expert on Silver Wings. His name was Genero.

* * *

Ash tripped over a Sandslash, and we found the human in bad shape as well.

We took care of him, and we were invited to stay at his house for the night.

He told us stories about his ancestor, who'd encountered the mysterious Pokemon!

He mentioned that the ship had landed at Ogi Isle, which could be reached on foot from here!

"Sounds like we should go there first thing tomorrow morning!" Brock exclaimed.

* * *

That night, I was woken up by the sound of someone working.

We all went to find that it was Genero, working on another Silver Wing for Arianne's birthday. Then he told us his plan: give her the pin, and ask her to marry him!

I glanced at Brock. _Poor guy._

We'd stay long enough to support Genero through his marriage proposal, I suppose.

* * *

The next day, he was wearing a white suit, and a nervous attitude. Then Misty pulled a matriarch attitude right when he was going to give up, and ordered him to go propose to Arianne. Even I was starting to feel the power radiating from her!

Then Team Rocket came in, stealing all the Silver Rock jewelry, including Genero's present!

We went after them, and Ash sent Noctowl after the balloon! That made it easy for us to catch up with them.

They released their Pokemon, and Dess and Pikachu went charging into battle.

Genero's Sandslash got there in time to make Team Rocket's attacks fly back towards them, and Dess and Pikachu blasted them off!

Finally, he found the box and…ended up stammering all over the place. Sandslash had to step on his foot to get him to talk. And she accepted his marriage proposal!

Brock was in tears of course.

We set off again towards the inlet that leads to Ogi Isle.

* * *

Towards…through…and out again!

Then Pikachu noticed something. Dess jumped down next to Pikachu, and it was another Pikachu in the tall grass. One with a crazy tuft of fur on its head!

"Hey, I remember _you_!" I yelped. I really did – though he probably didn't remember me, and I was an Eevee at the time.

"Sparky?" Ash exclaimed.

Richie came over as Pikachu introduced Sparky to Dess. Ash introduced me to Richie, and I admitted what I was, showing him. "We've actually met, it's just that I was an Eevee at the time and couldn't speak English."

"Wow!"

Richie told us how he'd been doing research on a mysterious Pokemon, and that was what he was doing here. We effectively said that we were here about the same mystery Pokemon ourselves!

* * *

We made it to a deserted island, looking for clues. We found a boy named Oliver and his Lanturn. He didn't seem very happy to see us, and he told us he hadn't seen any mysterious Pokemon. So we left.

I suspected otherwise about Oliver, and so did Richie. Sure enough, Oliver and Lanturn spun past with a Lugia baby, and Team Rocket was chasing them – a Team Rocket I'd never run into before!

A fierce battle ensued, and we managed to drive them off, without any of my team having to go to their true forms!

Part of that had to do with our boating friend Luka charging in to ram their boat with hers!

Oliver apologized to us after Team Rocket left. Oliver had named it Silver. He'd been trying to protect it from people like Team Rocket.

He told us about what had happened. He and Lanturn had been caught out in a bad storm, and when the storm cleared, he'd been saved by Silver. Then he'd met the mother. I could imagine just how scary that might have been.

Then the mother Lugia came up, worried about her kid, and after we called to her with reassurances, she calmed down and landed near us. They went underwater, and we swam down after them with the scuba equipment.

After lunch, Sliver swam over and whacked Ash in the chest with its head.

"Hey, get back here!" Ash kidded, swimming after it.

Mama Lugia wasn't worried; her kid could swim rings around Ash.

I was still vaguely concerned about Team Rocket.

* * *

We stopped for our own lunch. Then a robo-Lugia swam over and lured Silver right into a trap! There was nothing we could do about it, though we tried! I even returned to my true form, as did Dess, and it still didn't work! (Part of that was that Hitmontop was stronger than we were.)

* * *

As if _that_ wasn't bad enough, that night we had to calm the mother down and get her to trust us. Finally, she calmed down and cleared the skies of the storms.

* * *

The next day, we searched and searched. For a long time, we came up empty. Richie guessed that Silver was being kept in an underwater base, and Misty called out her whole arsenal to search. Ash called on Totodile. Then we waited again.

Oliver's Lanturn called out that it spotted a giant Magikarp, and Team Rocket led us right to the underwater base! And then it started lifting up out of the water!

When we surfaced, we saw the base extending a crying Silver to dry land in a small cage!

We tried to keep the mother Lugia away from the trap, but when Cassidy and Butch came out with suddenly-superpowered Pokemon, there wasn't anything we could do! My whole team, minus Dess, and I were in our true forms, and still nothing was working!

We were too exhausted to do anything after that. I think I passed out.

* * *

When we woke up, we were stuck in an energy cage, and Dess was nowhere to be seen!

**Ash**

We found out about Team Rocket's plan: making Pokemon angry to make them stronger!

Then we saw Pikachu, Sparky and Dess strapped to a metal platform, and they were going to get machines stuck on their heads, too! Dess was thrashing around as frantically as the others. I guess nobody knows what those things would do to hybrids.

Oliver got in and got us out of the cage, and we got our Pikachu free! But then the professor called in reinforcements!

**Dess**

The enraged Pokemon came at us, and we chose to dodge until we could blast their gizmos! I chose to threaten them.

**Cor**

We were stuck in the same room as the furious mother Lugia! Team Rocket – Jessie and James – were trying to steal Lugia. Then Cassidy and Butch came in, and they started fighting!

**Dess**

We found Silver, and the idiotic professor at the same time! He used an Electabuzz, and we were hard-pressed in our match!

**Cor**

All Byrony and I could do was watch the battle outside. (Safara had, of all things, fallen asleep.)

Then the battle broke Lugia's cage supports! Lugia blew a hole through the wall, blasting Team Rocket off! One swing of Lugia's tail, and we were free! I leaped onto Lugia's back, and Byrony followed, carrying Safara and spinning String Shot over us to hold us on! It was an insane ride!

**Dess**

With a little teamwork, we finally figured out the secret. Pikachu blasted at Electabuzz, and Sparky blasted the professor's control box. Then I blasted Electabuzz for real, and we could get Silver!

We had to evacuate, because of the base falling apart.

**Cor**

I was frantic! And then, finally, Ash and the others got here with Silver, and the mother calmed down and defended us, though we had to move out of the way of falling rocks. Byrony moved his string-shot-security to Lugia's belly, and we were able to bail!

Safara didn't wake up until we hit the water. "Hey! I hate water!"

* * *

We got untied and the Lugia family left. We parted ways with Richie, with Dess dropping a comically loud kiss on one of Sparky's cheeks.

* * *

**A/N: The episode ended abruptly before I could see the end. I'm guessing about their parting ways at the end of the episode, and will edit this if I need to.**


	32. Mineral Badge!

**_Mineral Badge!_**

* * *

**Cor**

Back in Red Rock Isle, we called Jimena at the Olivine City Gym, asking if it was cool to come back. She said yes, and we decided to catch the next boat.

But when we left, we didn't see any boat. An old man fishing told us it left an hour ago, and the next one would be tomorrow morning!

"But I can't wait until tomorrow morning!" Ash all but wailed.

A courier service could get us to Olivine City, he said. When we decided to go, the guy suddenly ran off.

We got there, and found the Hoothoot Express…and it looked pretty deserted. The man standing there was the old man we'd seen fishing!

His name was Wings Alexander, and he asked us for a little help with his Pokemon before leaving.

* * *

He opted to help us out by having the ride be free. When we saw the thing…

"They sure don't make planes like this anymore," Wings remarked.

_Um…that thing can fly?_ I have no experience with the machines here.

There was a Noctowl in the copilot seat, and it was his old Hoothoot friend.

* * *

After fueling up, we took off.

"I've never been on a plane before," I said nervously. "The closest thing was the shuttle I took to get here."

A storm blew up while we were still flying! And then we heard some yelling outside – Team Rocket was in desperate straits!

Wings decided to help them.

We got them aboard, and then a hole broke in the floor, making Team Rocket have to save Togepi.

Then one of the propellers came loose!

Ash decided he was going to handle it, and I sent Byrony out with him.

**Byrony**

I was in my true form, watching as Bulbasaur and Bayleef tied down the propellers, and Poliwhirl and Staryu kept us from hitting the ocean. I held onto Ash, keeping him on the side of the plane.

Then a Jigglypuff showed up! I String-Shot the engines to tie them back down, and when Jigglypuff blew away, they all woke up again, but we were still in trouble!

Then the old Noctowl flew out and tied a rope around the whole plane, pulling it tight!

Then Ash released his own Noctowl to help with the pulling!

Dess and Pikachu ran up onto the plane to blast the sky and draw the lightning away form the plane, causing a big explosion in the sky!

We couldn't see a thing except a blinking spot of light. The Shining Lighthouse had warned us against the cliffs!

Finally, the fog cleared, and we made it to Olivine City. Jimena was waiting for us along with Jasmine.

* * *

**Cor**

The next day, my friends and I were running with Ash, just for some exercise. He was having his Pokemon run for some warm-ups before his big match.

Then we found a gigantic Wobbuffet statue. Ash wanted to put his Pikachu on the tablet, but I beat him to it and dropped Dess there instead. "If it's a trap, we're better off giving it something that could get out easy."

Called it – it was Team Rocket, and they ran off with Dess! Nothing any of our Pokemon would do could beat the statue!

Then a Steelix knocked the statue back down! It was Jasmine's, and it cracked the statue, letting Bayleef rescue Dess! Then the Steelix blasted Team Rocket off with an Iron Tail!

Now if only Brock would shut up…

* * *

We watched as Ash stood brave in the arena. Each could use two Pokemon.

Jasmine used Magnemite, and Ash used – of course – Pikachu.

Both were equally fast, but dodging wouldn't win. Then Pikachu allowed himself to take a hit, and used it to blast Magnemite.

A Quick Attack ultimately took it out, but Pikachu was worn out.

Which wasn't good, because the next Pokemon was Steelix!

Pikachu used a Thunderbolt until he ran out of electricity, and then had to dodge an Iron Tail. He tried Quick Attack, and it didn't work!

Another Iron Tail, and Pikachu was done.

Dess muttered, "I doubt _I'd_ have been able to hold out that long."

Ash's second Pokemon was Cyndaquil.

I was worried. Cyndaquil was still a little guy.

Steelix used Sandstorm, and went underground. Then it came up right underneath Cyndaquil, and then used an Iron Tail that Cyndaquil barely dodged!

Steelix used the same strategy again, and then used one last Iron Tail! Ash called for Cyndaquil to use a Flamethrower against the wall, and he managed to dodge the last one.

Then Steelix tried his old strategy again, and Ash called for Smokescreen!

"Okay…what's his plan this time?" I asked.

A Sandstorm blew the Smokescreen away, but Cyndaquil was gone!

Then Ash called for a Flamethrower!

The little guy had gotten behind him!

Cyndaquil went hiding in the hole, then he had to get out. An Iron Tail actually hit him, even though he tried to dodge.

I tried to imagine what it was like to get hit by a Steelix's Iron Tail. Ouch.

Cyndaquil was barely standing, but he wanted to keep fighting.

Then he used a Smokescreen-dodge combo, and then showed what a Flamethrower could do if it was persisted against a Sandstorm!

There was no way the Steelix could stand up to that, and it was out!

Ash won! Cyndaquil would definitely be feeling that tomorrow, though.

Our next gym would be at Mahogany Town, so we set off in the evening towards the next challenge.


	33. Friends and Legends

**_Friends and Legends_**

* * *

**Cor**

Soon we made it to a city I actually vaguely remembered. I can't even now remember the name, but I remember there were Poke-cousins of mine there: Eevee-lution sisters, with a non-evolved Eevee. We spotted an Espeon running towards us, followed by a girl Sakura.

I nodded in agreement with Ash's Pokedex. Then I knelt down. "Hey there, cuz!"

She sniffed at me and then answered, "**Hi!**"

Brock went nuts over the fact that the sisters had all the Eeveelutions. When we went to see her sisters, Brock all but panicked. Four beautiful ladies, and he loved them all.

We were staying with them, and Sakura and Misty chose to battle.

Espeon was going to face off against Misty's Corsola. I…don't remember who won. I lost interest. Weird: it was my species, and I wasn't interested in watching the battle.

Then Sakura's sisters ran over, telling us about Team Rocket swiping their Eeveelutions! We looked around, but we couldn't find anything.

We decided to use Espeon as bait, since they were missing the last member of the set.

I morphed into my Pokemon form. "If there are two Espeon, it'll confuse Team Rocket."

"Good call," Ash congratulated me as we went to plan our trap.

* * *

Later, Espeon got herself caught on purpose, and Crobat followed.

We found the Eeveelutions, and it was battle time!

I joined in to throw Team Rocket off. I knew there was one big difference between us: Sakura's Espeon knew more attacks than I did.

Pikachu blasted Team Rocket off, and Espeon freed her friends. I rubbed heads with all of them.

The sisters decided to let Sakura go off on her own to journey the world, and she decided to travel on her own.

* * *

That evening, we split up. She went to Violet City, and we set off again.

* * *

While at a city with the Ghost gym, a strange sound got both me and Dess getting our true ears back to hear the sound better – a truly ludicrous appearance on Dess, though I didn't say so.

Apparently, those bells would only ring if Ho-oh was coming.

Then the ringing stopped.

We got there and were almost stopped by some crazy guy in a purple suit.

Morty told him about Ash, and apparently, the guy's name was Usine or something like that.

We were told the legend of the Crystal Bells. The Crystal Bells had been stolen, which is why the others were ringing.

I was very interested in the legends of these Pokemon.

Then Ash told them about seeing Suicune, and Usine challenged him to a battle.

Usine released an Alakazam, and Ash chose Pikachu. But before the battle could start, a kid came in yelling about the bell tower being taken over by Pokemon!

The tower was covered with bugs, and Tangela were keeping us from going anywhere, and Parasect started using Sleep Powder!

The whole town was covered by a giant web!

Ash decided that the way to stop the Pokemon was to find the Crystal Bells, and I agreed, shifting to my true form.

I didn't care what Usine thought of me, and a Gengar's Confuse Ray got us past the Parasect, and we found the Crystal Bells.

And Team Rocket. Why aren't I surprised?

There were only three, and apparently, Jessie had broken the fourth.

We were surrounded! Usine's Alakazam deflected String Shot, but a Vine Whip took it out!

Then a voice yelled, "**Stop!**" And a great force started making the webbing disappear and calmed down the Pokemon! It was Suicune – she'd appeared to help us out!

Then Team Rocket started trying to capture her, and she blasted them off.

I thought that would settle things, especially with the exchanged looks between Suicune and Ash…

But then Usine tried to catch her, too! Suicune simply used Roar, and Alakazam went back to its ball. While we were looking at that, she left.

A rainbow appeared in the sky, and all the webbing disappeared.

I sighed. "Suicune's a beautiful girl, isn't she?"

* * *

We set off again in the evening, after the Crystal Bells were returned.

* * *

**A/N: Usine was shocked at Cor's true form. ^_^**


	34. Searches Over: Kerra!

**_Searches Over: Kerra!_**

* * *

**Cor**

After traveling for a while, we got a certain distance before we got walking around in circles, and every Pokemon in the forest, including our Pokemon, were feeling sick!

Even Dess on my shoulder was feeling sick!

Then we spotted a red Gyarados in a lake – it wasn't feeling too hot, either!

I tapped my head. "Hm…this affects hybrids…but not me for some reason." I didn't even bother releasing Byrony or Safara, they'd all feel just as bad.

Then Team Rocket – not Jessie and James, some other stiffs in black uniforms – turned up to try to keep us from leaving!

A Dragonite with a human came to save us, and we managed to get away.

Then the guy caught up with us. Practically right after that, Pikachu, Togepi and Dess all started feeling better.

Brock and Misty recognized him as Lance, from the Elite Four, and we introduced ourselves, complete with me pointing to Dess and introducing her. He said he was investigating at Lake Rage, trying to figure out what Team Rocket was up to.

Ash offered to help, and Lance effectively said no and left.

I scratched my head. "Well…whatever the problem is, maybe we can use hybrids to figure out part of it."

"What do you mean?" Misty asked.

"It's like this," I released Safara and Byrony. "Hey, you two, did you feel sick a minute ago?"

"Yeah," Safara nodded. Byrony nodded as well, the face on his back changing to something resembling a grimace.

"Now," I set Dess next to Byrony, turned and looked at the others. "What do the three hybrids that felt sick have in common? Because I didn't feel sick at all."

It was Brock who figured it out. "All of your team is low-level – not at their final evolution!"

I tapped my chest. "And I'm at my final evolution, and I'm okay!"

"So you're saying," Ash asked slowly as I recalled the two – three, I decided to recall Dess as well, "that whatever's going on is connected to evolution?"

I nodded.

* * *

I don't quite remember how we got into this sitch, but Team Rocket ended up capturing us and telling us about their Evolution Inducement Wave, a device that forced Pokemon to evolve!

I lay back in the cage and growled. Ash was yelling. Then the Team Rocket idiots made like idiots and tried to take Pikachu, inadvertently freed us and we got out, thanks to Lance and Dragonite!

A Hyper Beam from Dragonite made quick work of the machine, and we drove out in one of the Team Rocket cars to try to catch up with Team Rocket.

All the Pokemon – and the hybrids – could sense something happening, so we picked up speed. Then we saw the Gyarados was awake and free!

And pouring mad!

Team Rocket appeared yet again, and we ran ahead to catch up with the Gyarados.

**Lance**

I stayed behind to battle Team Rocket's leader. I was worried about Ash, but there wasn't much I could do about it with this guy here.

He released two Fearow, and I chose Dragonite. That battle was explosive.

**Cor**

We got there in time to stop Team Rocket from catching Gyarados, but then the losers tried to catch it, and it woke up, broke free, and swam away again!

Pikachu blasted away the losers, and we were chasing the Gyarados again.

**Lance**

I finally finished the battle, just as the police got there.

* * *

**Cor**

We got to see a Dewgong freeze the path Gyarados was taking, and it went back, straight to Lance and Dragonite.

He battled the thing to a stop, and then used a Poke Ball and caught it.

* * *

That evening, we parted ways with Lance and Dragonite. Then I spotted something watching us from the trees: something with red eyes.

I turned and studied it for a while. Then I guessed, "_Azaros nihlis?_"

It hopped out – a Sneasel! "_Azaros nihlis_. Are you Cor?"

I ran a couple steps and picked her up. "Kerra! Where've you been this whole time?"

"With Team Rocket, honestly. Don't worry, I didn't believe in their cause or show them what I was." She held out a Poke Ball. "This is mine. I found I couldn't go far from it, so I stole the thing."

"Good." I took the ball from her and looked at my friends. "Kerra, this is Ash, Pikachu, Misty, Togepi, and Brock."

"Hi!" She waved a claw. "So what have you all been doing this whole time?"

"I've been following Ash from place to place, watching him get badges for the Johto League."

"Huh?"

Hybrids didn't technically have Pokemon Leagues. "Um…gathering qualification tokens for…a battle competition."

"Oh, cool!" Leave it to a Sneasel to make that joke. "Mind if I tag along?"

"Be my guest; if I'm going to participate in anything here, I'll need six on my team, and I only have three – now four with you." Then I made a face. "Most of them are girls."

That got some laughs.

* * *

**A/N: This is going to turn into the first part of a trilogy; holding one fanfic for the whole series will make it way too long. I'll finish the Johto League, though.**


	35. Glacier Badge!

**_Glacier Badge!_**

* * *

**Cor**

Ash was revved up to try to win his Glacier Badge. Kerra was on my shoulder this time, even though she knew English already, because she hadn't had much chance to see the world before she was captured.

The gym was closed, but a large woman told us where the Gym Leader, Pryce, was: up on the mountain.

The woman, Sheila, offered to take us to him, and she was an impressive runner. I was the only one keeping up with her easy.

Finally, she pointed out where Pryce was. It was the old man with a Dewgong who'd turned the Gyarados around and looked down on Pokemon being friends with humans!

I sat back in surprise. Kerra whispered, "He doesn't look so bad."

"You _would_ think that," I muttered back, "you're an Ice-type."

Ash went to talk to the guy, and Pryce was rude almost right off. I knew Ash was going to end up in a battle eventually, the question was when.

Well, a battle took place right here – Dewgong versus Phanpy. I saw a problem right off: Dewgong was a Water-type as well as an Ice-type, and both had an advantage against Ground-types like Phanpy!

Sure enough, Phanpy got frozen in a block of ice in one move.

Then Ash ran off after Pryce, trying to convince the guy to battle him again. I just hoped he'd use a better strategy. Friendship could go a long way, but it took brains as well.

* * *

We followed them into the mountain and found Team Rocket sitting on a cliff and arguing. I sniffed the air. "Smells like Ash and Pryce _were_ here, but…I can't tell where they went."

Then Meowth told us that they'd fallen down the cliff, and all of them ran off.

I released Byrony when Misty asked how we'd get down. "Byrony, Kerra, return to your true forms. We need some claws for this."

They both shifted back, casting uneasy glances at Shiela.

"Byrony, you set up a String Shot ladder. Kerra, you can help Misty down."

"Why am I helping Misty?" Kerra asked while Byrony got to work.

"Because Misty doesn't really like bugs, and I'm trying to spare her having to climb down something a bug made."

"Thanks a lot, Cor," Misty sounded vaguely irritated with me. Well, tough.

* * *

We went down the cliff and Shiela explained what was up with Pryce. He used to have a Piloswine that he treated like family, and then one day it up and left.

I cocked my head. "I wonder if that was a hybrid."

* * *

We found Ash and Pryce – and Pryce's Piloswine! I leaned over and sniffed carefully. It was a cold smell, like he'd been stuck in a block of ice for decades, but… "He's no hybrid, but that doesn't mean he can't be pretty tough!"

Then Team Rocket turned up again. Good grief.

Piloswine and Pikachu worked together with their human pals to blast Team Rocket off, while the rest of us stood and stared. Misty was standing next to Byrony in his true form and didn't even notice!

That evening, Pryce told us that he'd battle Ash tomorrow. I doubted Ash would sleep very well for the anticipation.

* * *

The next day, Ash was excited over his match. He was planning on using Cyndaquil, and I was a little worried over that. Cyndaquil was a Fire-type, with an advantage against Ice-types, but he was still awfully small…

I was amused with the way Shiela described her excitement to watch the match: "I'm interested in seeing what tricks you've got under your hat!"

Kerra covered her mouth with a claw to hide a smile.

* * *

The battlefield was totally frozen over! I felt blinded just looking at it, and Kerra was acting star-struck. "I wish _I _could battle out there!"

Shiela surprised us by showing she was an official judge, she explained the rules, and the battle started.

Pryce released Dewgong and it went immediately into the pool.

"I _knew_ he was going to be using that pool!" Ash yelped, and he chose Cyndaquil anyway. Misty gave him an extra word of warning about Dewgong, and he opted to stay with his choice.

There were several close calls, and then Cyndaquil actually followed Dewgong underwater!

"That…doesn't seem like it'll end well," I remarked, "but you never know with Ash."

Sure enough, Cyndaquil used a Swift that made contact, and then a Flamethrower ended the battle!

After Brock explained Ash's strategy to Misty and Pryce congratulated Ash's trust level with his Pokemon, the next part of the battle started.

Pryce chose Piloswine. I actually figured he would.

Ash opted to stay with Cyndaquil. I wondered if that was even a good idea. Cyndaquil had gotten soaked, and though he seemed active, I knew that would weaken him somewhat.

Sure enough, with a Blizzard-Take Down combo, Piloswine beat him.

Ash was wondering what happened. I was trying to warm up again. Kerra was fine.

Then we saw the pool: it had frozen over from the Blizzard!

Next, Ash chose Pikachu. That was another I-called-it; he always uses Pikachu.

But Pikachu's speed was backfiring on the ice! He was only barely dodging!

A Blizzard was used, Pikachu used Thunder practically right in Piloswine's face and when the smoke and snow cleared, Piloswine was fine!

Then Ash actually figured out a strategy! All I knew at first, from something he said, was that it would involve the ice pillars scattered around the field.

Sure enough, Pikachu was sliding all over the field to dodge Blizzards! He even went right _under_ Piloswine!

He was ricocheting off the ice pillars, round and round Piloswine, until finally Pryce called for him to use Blizzard all over the field!

"Ho boy…" I muttered.

Then Pikachu slid right under Piloswine again and used Thunder!

It worked…then Piloswine started using Rest!

Ash called for Quick Attack, and I held my breath.

Not enough time – Pikachu got hit with Fury Attack and Take Down.

Neither wanted to give up, though.

Pikachu ended up on Piloswine's face and used Thunder again, and he broke the field and dropped Piloswine into the pool!

Then a Thunderbolt hit him again, but he actually managed to shake it off!

I covered my eyes. I couldn't watch.

Then Pryce called a Technical Knock-Out! He felt Piloswine had had enough!

* * *

Ash got his Glacier Badge, and he decided he'd leave right away for the Blackthorn City Gym.

Kerra fell off my shoulder. "Is watching humans battling _always_ this intense?"

I laughed and picked her up. "With Ash, it nearly always is!"

* * *

**A/N: Just thought I'd mention this: Kerra's going to be the last hybrid found in this stage of the trilogy.**


	36. Rising Badge!

**_Rising Badge!_**

* * *

**Cor**

We were almost to Blackthorn City when we spotted a Dratini sleeping by a lake. We started over to it, but then a Gyarados came up and sprayed a water attack at us! Then a woman called it off and asked what we wanted with the Dratini!

Personally, I thought that she was awfully suspicious; just because we were walking over to the thing didn't mean we "wanted" anything with it, except maybe a closer look, and I said so.

She apologized after she put the Dratini in the water, both for suspecting us and for her Gyarados' behavior. "My name's Claire."

We all introduced ourselves, which also involved Brock going bonkers again. Good grief.

Then she ran after Dratini, calling for Gyarados to follow as well, saying something about migration. I cocked my head. "Huh?"

"We're going to follow her, aren't we?" Kerra sounded resigned, and she also had been with us long enough to figure out basic behavior patterns of these particular humans.

Then an old man ran over, calling after Claire, and he tripped and fell on his face. I didn't think much of him, honestly.

He showed us a Dragon Fang, and told us he worked at the Blackthorn City Gym with Claire. Somehow I suspected she was the Gym Leader – Ash has a habit of meeting the Gym Leaders under odd circumstances.

Called it; and the old man explained to us what was up with their job while we walked after Claire and the swimmers.

Most of what he said was some combination of making complete sense and sliding right past me.

* * *

We ended up catching up to Claire and got her to stop. He begged her to take the fang for the ritual, but she wasn't having any.

We kept moving…frankly, the old man was getting on my nerves. Finally, the guy decided to wait until after Dratini shed its skin, since Claire was going to offer no help until that happened.

We finally stopped for lunch. Claire provided lots of food for us; she was a pretty good cook. Ash finally told her his errand, and effectively asked her to fill in a slot in her schedule for a battle with him. She declared herself impressed with his number of badges and said yes.

We ended up talking about the red Gyarados, and Lance. Claire seemed very interested in Lance, though I wasn't sure I was reading her quite right on that.

Well…I wasn't quite wrong: she'd taught Lance at the gym! Or…was it the other way around?

Then Team Rocket showed up. Yeah, with my nose, I could tell even with their dumb disguises. I sighed. "Kerra, use a Quick Attack-Scratch combo, would you?"

She revealed Team Rocket, but they still got Dratini, and then a wind blew them down again!

When we caught up with them, Claire challenged them to a battle. I whispered, "Kerra, slip over there, return to your true form, and carry Dratini back over here, okay? Your Pokemon form's too small to pull that off."

"**Right!**" But before anything could happen, Claire protected Dratini from a stray electric attack, and then Dratini evolved to Dragonair and blasted Team Rocket away!

"You couldn't have evolved at a better time if I had planned it!" Claire declared to the tall thing.

Then Dragonair suddenly swished off, and Claire followed. We ran after as well.

* * *

I couldn't believe that took all day. The moon was up, and Dragonair had brought us to a waterfall so we could perform the ritual!

I watched in awe as true magic came from the ritual, and then Claire told Ash that since the ritual was over, she was about ready to face him in battle.

* * *

The next day, we arrived at the gym, ready to face whatever Claire had.

The battle would be a three-on-three. Each could use three Pokemon, but only Ash would be allowed to switch.

Claire's first Pokemon was a Kingdra. Ash chose Pikachu, big surprise.

"_**Good luck, Pikachu!**_" Dess called, waving. I'd released my friends earlier to ask them if they wanted to watch a Dragon match. Safara, amazingly, was the only one who wasn't interested. I had Kerra on one shoulder, Dess on the other, and Byrony clinging to my chest.

This Kingdra was a much harder match than the last Kingdra-match Ash was involved in, for all that Pikachu technically had the advantage that Totodile hadn't!

Finally, someone mentioned Kingdra's Dragon-element. I shrugged, nearly dislodging the girls from my shoulders. "I could have warned you, Ash: if she's a Dragon-trainer, then she's not going to have a straight Water-type on her team."

Still, Pikachu kept pushing on. Finally, though, Ash switched him out and chose Noctowl instead.

Byrony mumbled something I didn't hear clearly, but I didn't ask for a repeat.

And Noctowl had the upper…wing…for a few seconds. But then Kingdra, even on land, started moving too fast! And then it landed a Hydro Pump on Noctowl!

I was starting to think Byrony's mumbled comment was something along the lines of "That's not going to work either."

Then an alarm started going off! Someone was trying to get into the Treasure Room and swipe the Dragon Fang!

It was Team Rocket. Why wasn't I surprised? "Hey, Byrony," I looked at my chest, "can you String-Shot those guys and take the box back?"

He shook his head.

"Still no confidence, huh?"

We started chasing Team Rocket on the water. Brock was riding on Misty's Staryu, Misty was using Politoed, Ash rode with Totodile and I leaped on behind Claire and the old man on the Dragonair's back, recalling Dess from my shoulder. "Don't scratch my shoulders, okay?"

"_**Fine.**_"

Then Team Rocket drove the boat they'd swiped straight into the Dragon's Den!

"Is that a problem?" Ash asked.

"We'll see," Claire answered. "Dragonair, follow them!"

The cave ended up getting very dark, but Dragonair lit up its jewel and we kept on going, with Dragonair sensing water currents to track Team Rocket. All of us hoped we could stop Team Rocket before they reached some place called the Dragon's Holy Land.

Then the old man said something about falls! I felt Kerra grip my shoulders tighter. "Ow! Watch it!"

* * *

We made it to the Holy Land…and I only felt uneasy. "Um, guys? I'm sensing something totally wrong, maybe we should get out of here."

"What kind of wrong?" Claire asked.

"Uh…first of all, I need to tell you something." I shifted to my true form. "I'm a hybrid."

She stared at me for a full ten seconds before speaking again. "An Espeon!"

"Newly evolved, too. I'm sensing things because I'm a Psychic-type, but I can't tell what exactly is wrong because I'm still new at this!"

She suggested we split up. I caught her arm. "Trust me, that's a very _bad_ idea! I have no idea where these words are coming from, but we need to stay together!"

* * *

We split up anyway. And later, I found out why I felt it was so wrong to split up, and what was wrong: Team Rocket had convinced a Dragonite that the two sides were complete opposites, that _we_ were the evil ones! That Dragonite had belonged to the first Gym Leader here.

We were going to follow Dragonite and Team Rocket, but then a winged shadow started coming towards us!

It was still a ways above us before I recognized it: Ash's Charizard!

Well…_a_ Charizard. I didn't realize it was _Ash's_ until it flamed him, knocked him down, and started licking his face.

"Uh, Claire?" the old man asked, "Are you as confused as I am?"

I just laughed.

Lisa appeared right then, riding on Charla. And Claire recognized her!

Brock was acting so ridiculous. I ignored him and released Safara. She ran right over and started rubbing her head against Charizard's leg, yipping excitedly.

And…apparently, Charizard and Charla had fallen in love while they were training together. Double good grief!

I quickly introduced Charizard to the two new girls on my team. Kerra was a little nervous – well of course she was, he was a high-level fire type – and Dess was mostly shrugging it off.

The situation was quickly explained, and we took off. Charizard was pulling a balloon as well! I chose to ride on Charizard's back as a hybrid, so that there was more room in the basket for my friends.

* * *

I was worried. In fact, worried wasn't even the word for it, especially when the old man explained about the Dragon Shrine in front of us with its flame!

Somehow, I just knew that this was where Dragonite had taken Team Rocket.

Sure enough, smoke started rising from the lake, and I could hear Dragonite roaring in fury!

We got there in time to save Team Rocket's tails from Dragonite, and Dragonair started working to put out the fire. Brock and Misty started helping, too, and Charla started leading Pokemon to safety.

Team Rocket started flattering Ash. Good grief. Byrony took the Dragon Fang box back from James. I whispered, releasing Safara, "There should be some kind of bowl in the midst of the flames out there. Could you find it?"

"Okay." She ran off sniffing.

Claire tried to talk sense into Dragonite, but he was too mad to recognize her and Charizard had to save her from a Hyper Beam!

Charizard and Dragonite started fighting, trying to get Dragonite to calm down. I dropped to the ground, covering my head and recalling Kerra and Byrony.

Team Rocket finally told us what had happened. They'd stolen the Prayer Flame and it had slipped out of James' hands. I just hate having suspicions confirmed sometimes.

Safara had found the bowl and was just standing there in her true form holding it, with the flame burning inside it. "I have the bowl, Cor. Now what?"

"Hey!" James suddenly protested, "How come _she_ can hold it? She's not even wearing gloves!"

"She's a Fire-type, James," I covered my face. "They're burn-proof."

Misty's Water Pokemon put out the fire on the shrine, and Dragonair and Charizard started working together to fight Dragonite.

I told Safara, "Just keep holding the thing until the battle's over, and don't let it touch the ground again."

"Okay."

I don't know what strategy they employed beyond thunderclouds and Pikachu. But amazingly, after a Fire Spin and several of Dragonite's own Hyper Beams, it worked!

* * *

Team Rocket was blasted off by Pikachu, and we got the Dragon Fang back for real. I looked at Safara. "Okay, now you can put the bowl back in the shrine."

"Okey dokey!" She started skipping towards the singed shrine.

"Carefully!"

"Okay!" She stopped skipping. We all watched as she put the flame back where it belonged. (Geodude had to be a step stool for her, because the stand was taller than she could easily reach.)

We left the old man in the shrine making jokes and all went back to the gym. Claire and Ash decided to start the battle over first thing in the morning.

* * *

The next day, we waited excitedly for the match to begin.

Claire's first Pokemon was, again, Kingdra. Ash picked Snorlax, of all people!

Snorlax surprised me by showing he could use Hyper Beam! Of course, Kingdra was so fast that it missed, but still!

And besides, nothing Kingdra did seemed to hurt Tubby. Safara was giggling next to me. "He's funny!"

"Yeah," I grinned down at her, "but would _you_ like to try battling him?"

Then a couple of hits actually seemed to do something, and when the steam cleared from Kingdra's Hyper Beam, Snorlax was nowhere to be seen. That's hard, for a big guy.

He'd gone underwater! Then Ash called for another Body Slam. That one connected, but…

"Snorlax weighs a lot less underwater," Claire remarked, "in case you'd forgotten your science, Ash."

I mumbled, "Yeah, _I_ could probably lift the guy if we were both in deep enough water."

The battle…went a little odd after that. I'm not sure what Ash was planning.

Then Brock figured it out: Ash was counting on Snorlax's endurance to wear Kingdra down! An Ice Punch finished the battle, in Snorlax's favor. It was kind of funny how Ash ran over and jumped onto Snorlax's shoulder in his excitement.

Claire's next Pokemon was, um… (Sigh) Could someone tie Brock up before he humiliates himself in front of Lisa? Now, where was I? Oh yeah: Claire's second Pokemon was Gyarados.

Ash chose to stay with Snorlax, after making sure the guy wanted to keep battling. Still…the poor tubby was tired out. It didn't take long for the match to be over, with Gyarados winning.

Ash chose Pikachu for his second Pokemon. I kind of figured he would, the little guy being an Electric-type.

Pikachu was faster than Gyarados, and actually landed an attack first! I was a little worried when Claire ordered a Bite attack: Gyarados looks like it can swallow Pikachu whole!

Pikachu dodged it, but then his Thunderbolt was cancelled out by Gyarados' Dragon Breath! Then the poor little guy got caught in a Wrap attack!

Dess covered her eyes. "I can't watch!"

Pikachu landed a hit, which got the guy to let go, and Dess started watching again. Then Pikachu dodged Bite attacks right into a corner!

I wasn't expecting what came next: Pikachu ran _up_ Gyarados' Hydro Pump and landed a Thunder!

"Gyarados is unable to battle. Pikachu wins!"

Claire's final Pokemon was Dragonair. I knew that was coming.

Ash went with Pikachu. Considering the little guy was tired, the end was inevitable. Dragonair won.

I wondered, as Ash brought Pikachu back over to us, what he'd pick as his final Pokemon.

Ash picked Charizard! Then the old man opened up the roof so that the sky could be a battlefield as well!

Charizard was pouring Flamethrowers into the pool where Dragonair was hiding. I figured I knew at least part of Ash's strategy: either the water would get too hot for Dragonair, or it would all disappear.

It ran out of water.

So they took the battle to the sky. I was a little worried about Charizard taking an Iron Tail to the head, but then he caught the next one, and he got Dragonair into a Seismic Toss!

Dragonair used Dragon Rage while still in Charizard's grasp, really hurting him as he flew his circles. I knew something had to give.

They crashed, and at first it looked like Charizard was down. But then he got back up!

After a few reruns concerning moves, Charizard started Seismic Toss again. None of my team could look away now.

Especially not once Dragonair started another Dragon Rage! I wondered who'd win this time!

Then Ash called for a Fire Spin with the Dragon Rage! And I _really_ didn't know what would happen next!

Ash called it Flaming Seismic Toss, and it looked like it was really going to work!

…

…

…

"Dragonair is unable to battle! The winner is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"

Claire looked shocked. Come to think of it, Ash looked pretty stunned, too, until he realized he'd won.

Then Claire gave Ash his Rising Badge, and we waved Charizard, Charla and Lisa off into the sunset. The next day, we set off again.

* * *

**A/N: FINALLY! This took way longer than I felt it had any right to. Anyways, three chapters left to this part! (Not counting this one.)**


	37. Super Psyduck!

**_Super Psyduck!_**

* * *

**Cor**

After walking for a long while and having to retrieve Ash's badges from Team Rocket, we found a tunnel that Brock speculated led to the ocean. Misty got her afterburners going and tore in.

Sure enough, it led to the ocean. Misty released her whole team to play, and I released Psyduck.

Then we got dragged along by Brock to a synchronized swimming competition. I immediately asked, "What's…I mean, I think I know what this is, but I've never seen one."

We got there, and found perfect seats. I was sitting on Ash's right, as far away from Brock as possible.

Personally, I had no idea what they were talking about when they mentioned the Cerulean City Gym. I hadn't been there at the time.

Then the show started. I predicted disappointment for Brock, because I doubted that any human girls were going to appear.

Well, half-right on my count: it was a human _male_ out there. After the show, we got to talk to the kid who'd let us in. His name was Dorian, and this was evidently the Coastline Gym. We introduced ourselves.

* * *

He led us on a tour of the place. Practically the first thing to come to my notice was that the place was underwater! The next thing I noticed was some pictures of girls in swimsuits. Somehow I figured they were the girls Brock had been talking about, from Cerulean City.

Yup, called it. This was a private gym, and he'd gone to the Cerulean City Gym lots of times. Misty immediately asked if they'd said anything about a sister.

He named off the names that Brock said…but he couldn't think of any others, and Misty seemed sure there was – wait…

He finally remembered that there was one last, but that she was "uncontrollable, and a bit of a loser."

I cocked my head. "Tell me that wasn't a direct quote, Dorian."

He seemed next to clueless that he'd just TO'd Misty. She still felt she was the prettiest and most talented of all the Cerulean Sisters.

"_**Cor?**_" Kerra whispered into my ear. "_**What are they talking about?**_"

"Don't ask," I whispered back. "With Misty, sometimes it's better not to know."

Then she ended up challenging Dorian to a battle. Or did he challenge her? Well, clearly there was going to be a battle.

I gave Misty her Psyduck back. "Here. You might decide to use him, and he might as well be with you if he decides to release himself."

Misty sighed as she took the ball. "Okay…"

* * *

He showed us his underwater battlefield. Then Team Rocket appeared. I sighed. "Those three just don't give up. If they'd show some actual competence once in a while, it'd be one thing, but they just keep failing…"

They blasted Team Rocket off – Ash and Dorian together. Then Ash challenged Dorian to a battle as well.

"Ash," I pointed out, "you only have one Water Pokemon. Still, that means if you battle first, yours will be done first."

The trainers were underwater, and Ash had Totodile out. Dorian chose Lanturn.

I floated next to Brock, wearing just my regulation pants – now just perfect for swim trunks while I was in human form.

The battle proved that Totodile's maneuverability went way up underwater, like all Water Pokemon. He still lost, though.

"This is more like what I'm used to seeing," I remarked, mumbling around my breathing gear.

Then Misty's turn was on.

The two of them were all but flirting with each other when they decided on three-on-three.

Misty chose for her first Pokemon…

Psyduck popped out of the ball and swam up to the surface. We gave him a floatation ring – he still had a little trouble with floating – and went back to the battle.

Dorian chose Qwilfish, and Misty chose Goldeen.

The two fish whipped around, and in the end, Goldeen lost.

Dorian switched and chose Mantine. Misty's second Pokemon was Corsola.

That battle was even crazier than the last one. And this time, after a surprise Recover – that move always gets the opponent by surprise – Corsola won!

Before the third round could begin, though, Team Rocket showed up again and used suction to steal all the Water Pokemon from the tank! Misty got Corsola to tackle the machine, making it point straight up, and then she had to save Psyduck from the suction, which got her caught! Dorian and Corsola tried to get her out again, but they ended up caught, too! After Team Rocket blasted us away, they left!

* * *

Once again above water, we started looking for them. Noctowl directed us to them, and we saw Misty and Dorian tied back-to-back with tape over their mouths – and Team Rocket was still standing there gloating.

Then Team Rocket released Victreebel and Arbok, and of all things, Psyduck charged in to try to take them on! He must have really gotten mad about Misty being captured!

Then he gave us a clueless expression again, and Jessie got Arbok biting his…head!

_This isn't going to end well. For them, that is!_

Then Misty called for Confusion, and Psyduck sent them all flying!

Then he used Psychic, and blasted them off for real, officially impressing Dorian!

After making sure the Water Pokemon were okay, Dorian told Misty he couldn't get over her Psyduck's strength. Then they decided to just call that match a draw. Ash promised that we'd tell everyone at the Silver Conference about his gym, and then set off again.

* * *

The next day, I sat back in my true form, with Psyduck at my feet. "You know, Psyduck, I see you excel all the time. And yet, you can't manage to do excellently on purpose. I wish I knew why."

"_**Huh**__?_"

Then suddenly, I felt a surge of power leap up inside me and touch Psyduck, and I saw –

_A family of Psyduck, with one little one playing happily. Then thieves came and captured almost all of them, and the littlest one was left behind for being weak._

_**I see. You were that small Psyduck, and you saw that being seen as a failure made you safe. Well, you're in good hands now, so you don't need to worry about that old memory anymore.**_

I blinked and shook my head. Psyduck put his hands on his head again.

"_**Ai, ai, ai…what was that?**_"

"I wish I knew, Psyduck. I'm as new to intentional Psychic abilities as you."

* * *

We found out later, when Team Rocket struck again, this time trying to steal Pikachu – again. I released Psyduck. "Use Water Gun!"

He straightened up, setting one hand against his chest – Safara taught him to do that while he was getting ready to use such an attack, because it helped with focus – and…

Cut loose with a powerful Water Gun! It freed Pikachu!

"Great job, Psyduck!" Misty cheered.

"_**She loves me!**_" Psyduck looked back. "_**She wants me to win!**_" Then he glared at Team Rocket and…

Light shone up around him!

And when it faded, Psyduck had evolved to Golduck! "_**And I **_**will**_** win!**_"

I yelled, "All right, Golduck, use Psychic!"

He held his flippered hands before him like he was holding a ball. His forehead jewel glowed, and he actually managed to blast Team Rocket off by himself!

Then he ran over to Misty, and the two of them hugged. "_**I did it! I actually did it! And I did it on purpose!**_"

"Great job, Golduck!" Misty was almost crying.

I gave back the ball. "Here, Misty. I figured Psyduck was close, if he just had the chance. I think I'd removed a block earlier."

"Thank you, Cor."

* * *

**A/N: I'm glad I was able to make this happen. That's my theory on why Psyduck always ends up failing.**


	38. Pokemon Heroes

**_Pokemon Heroes_**

* * *

_**Cor**_

We visited a place called Altemar, and Brock and I watched Ash and Misty enter a Water Pokemon race together. Misty ended up winning, but the only reason for that seemed to be that somehow Ash got sidetracked.

Or…pulled by something invisible and very strong!

We went for a boat tour later. I couldn't stop thinking about Latios and Latias. The second-place racer, Ross, mentioned them and explained that they were the guardians of Altomar.

"Where I come from, Latias and Latios were also guardians. I…can't remember what they guarded in our legends, though."

"Too bad," Misty answered me.

We went off for ice cream after the tour.

* * *

I won't recap everything that happened up to this point, but Ash and I ended up meeting Latias and Latios in a beautiful garden, along with a girl named Bianca! She wasn't very friendly at first, until an old man, her grandfather, came to talk sense into her.

We played for a while, and I showed them that I was a hybrid. The old man explained the legend behind them. Then we went to find Misty and Brock again.

* * *

Late that night, Latias came to find us, wearing Bianca's form, and something was wrong.

Latios showed us all that someone had stolen the Soul Dew, and that he was a prisoner! Then they summoned up Kabutops and Aerodactyl, sending them to find Latias!

Then we suddenly had to dodge forming trellis-gateworks and follow Latias to the museum in order to save Latios, Bianca and Lorenzo. Only Ash, Latias and myself made it outside the trellis, so we were on our own.

I rode on Latias' back as an Espeon, while she pulled Ash on a water rider. Then we were attacked by a Kabutops, and Politoed, Crobat and Corsola came to bail us out.

Finally, we made it to the museum…and had to deal with tidal waves. Latias saved us, and we managed to save Latios. Misty and Brock got here.

Then one of the girls was idiotic enough to touch the corrupted Soul Dew, both girls ended up trapped in the defense machine, and everything started going crazy!

All the water vanished, and apparently a gigantic tidal wave was going to come!

Latias and Latios went to stop the water from coming too fast. And it worked…at the price of Latios becoming the new Soul Dew.

I kind of felt sorry for Latias. Her brother got lost.

* * *

The day we left was fun. A girl went running up to Ash, gave him a picture and a kiss, and then left.

"Wait a sec," Misty asked, confused, "was that Bianca or Latias?"

"I don't know," Brock replied, "but I am extremely jealous!"

Latias showed off one last time for us as we sailed off, leading a new set of kids.

I sat back and sighed. "Amazing how many legends I encounter while traveling with you guys. I wonder who'll be next."

* * *

**A/N: Which movie this is, is obvious.**


	39. The League and a New Journey

The League and a New Journey

* * *

_**Cor**_

I won't go into the Johto League. Ash got pretty far, making new friends along the way as seems to be his style. He even got to the championship before he lost! He wasn't moping over his failure to complete the tournament like last time, either!

"Hey," Kerra lightly punched my head, "watcha thinking about?"

"I wonder what happened to the others. You know, Gabs and Reva and the guys."

"Are you going to go looking for them?"

I thought about that. "I'll probably just stay with Ash. He's enough of a roamer to where we'll find where they landed eventually!"

She laughed. "That's true!"

Then Harrison told us about Professor Birch from LIttleroot town, in the Hoenn region.

We ended up talking to Gary some more that night. He decided to stop being a trainer and instead study Pokemon. This was after my team and I helped move a tree off a Misdreavus.

* * *

We had to whip Team Rocket the next day.

Then we parted ways with Harrison and Gary.

I glanced at Ash. "What's going through your head right now?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing."

_That wasn't like Ash. Wonder what he's thinking about for real._

* * *

When we got to Viridian City – Kerra's first time, and I think it was Byrony's and Dess's, too – Misty got a message about her sisters traveling around the world, and she got her bike back…but then she freaked and ran out.

I didn't get it until Brock told us that maybe she wanted to travel with us. We found her again in time to help her out in a match against three brothers.

Then Team Rocket caught us in between two goalis, and we escaped and blasted all six people off!

Then we all started walking towards Pallet Town. Misty wouldn't quiet down, she kept giving Ash advice, and then she told him to never stop doing his best.

After walking for a while, we hit a crossroad.

The two almost left, but came back to give Ash some stuff. Then Misty looked at me. "Um…Cor?"

"Yeah?"

"Could…could I…" She held her hand out towards my head.

I sighed. "Well…since we don't know when we'll cross paths again…okay." I shifted to my true form, dropping in height, and set my head under her hand.

She rubbed my head and scratched behind my ears. Just the way she did so told me that she'd always wanted to do that.

Then we split up for real.

* * *

The next day was…interesting. I didn't chase after Ash the whole time, but he went to see Gary.

I don't know what happened, but when Ash got back that night, he started talking about running off on a new journey to the Hoenn region!

His mom had been expecting that, and had some stuff all prepped for him. She'd been tending to us this whole time, and even had time for that? Ash's mom is amazing!

She'd even prepped some stuff for my friends and me!

"I'm coming with you, Ash!" I slapped Ash on the shoulder. "I've still got to find the rest of my friends."

"Thanks, Cor!"

"Are you sure you want to only bring Pikachu?"

"I'm sure."

We ran off to catch the ferry the next day.

* * *

_**To be continued...**_


End file.
